Ezliving_Jim

EU-funded Melanoma project seeks to explain behaviour in the sun

[Date: 2008-01-22]



An EU-funded Network of Excellence (NoE) has recently launched an online questionnaire to find out how 10,000 people in different countries around the world behave while in the sun. They survey also probes their attitudes to tanning and skin cancer.

So far, 7,000 people have responded to the survey, according to the multidisciplinary 'Genetic and environmental determinants of melanoma: translation into behavioural change' (GenoMEL) NoE.

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, the cells that produce our skin colouring. Usually starting in a mole, it is associated with excessive sun exposure. According to figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO), 132,000 malignant melanomas occur globally each year, and since the early 1970s the incidence of the disease has increased significantly.

The multiple-choice survey examines how people assess their risk of getting melanoma, and what protection they use against the sun's rays.

'Nothing like this has ever been attempted before on such a large scale within health psychology research,' says Paul Affleck, GenoMEL project manager at the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine (LIMM), one of the project partners.

The results, expected in early 2008, will help scientists to develop more effective prevention and education strategies, aimed at getting millions of sun worshippers to change their behaviour.

'The increasing number of melanoma cases we are seeing could be the result of more people going on cheap flights to sunny places, as well as the continuing fashion for a golden tan,' explains Mr Affleck. 'But we need to find out how these environmental and lifestyle factors are interacting with a person's inherent genetic risk of getting skin cancer or melanoma. So the more people who take part in the survey, the better.'

The GenoMEL network is being funded to the tune of €10.45 million under the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) and involves 20 of the world's leading melanoma research centres.

The main focus of the project is to collect DNA via blood samples from thousands of people, to identify the genes - running in families or particular populations - that may increase susceptibility to Melanoma. Scientists also want to find out how these interact with other genes and environmental factors such as exposure to the sun's Ultraviolet (UV) rays.

'So far GenoMEL has made much progress in understanding the role of four high-risk melanoma genes. But there are also many other relatively low-risk genes - such as the one that gives people pale skin, red hair and freckles - and others we don't know about yet,' explains Professor Julia Newton-Bishop, the coordinator of the project from Cancer Research UK.

By the time the project ends in 2010, the project will offer people an online 'risk calculator' that will make it easy for individuals of different skin types to calculate their individual risk of Melanoma.
For further information, please visit:
http://www.genomel.org/index.htm

Category: Projects
Data Source Provider: GenoMEL project
Document Reference: Based on information from the GenoMEL project
Subject Index: Coordination, Cooperation; Life Sciences; Scientific Research

Source

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sui generis.
si vis pacem, para bellum

"Even if we win, we will have just eked out a victory, and we can't govern." - Barack Obama.



"In my view, there simply is no untouchable constitutional right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to keep loaded handguns in the house in crime-ridden urban areas." - Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

Ezliving_Jim

I just took the survey. I encourage everyone here to participate.

__________________
sui generis.
si vis pacem, para bellum

"Even if we win, we will have just eked out a victory, and we can't govern." - Barack Obama.



"In my view, there simply is no untouchable constitutional right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to keep loaded handguns in the house in crime-ridden urban areas." - Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

unity

10,000 people is NOT a very large survey.

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unity

Took it... long survey.

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Ezliving_Jim

Only 1 question on tanning bed usage. It's like they are afraid to ask questions on indoor tanning.

It was a "push" poll.

__________________
sui generis.
si vis pacem, para bellum

"Even if we win, we will have just eked out a victory, and we can't govern." - Barack Obama.



"In my view, there simply is no untouchable constitutional right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to keep loaded handguns in the house in crime-ridden urban areas." - Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

unity

Ya. It did not feel well done but did ask a lot of questions. The survey should have branched four ways:

1 - those who do not choose to tan
2 - those who tan outdoors
3 - those who tan in doors
4 - those who tan both indoors and outdoors

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engfant

always remember:

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The #1 cause of death is natural causes...but where's the ribbon?

http://mercola.fileburst.com/Flash/A...wsubscribe.swf

Ezliving_Jim

The Dark Seeker said to Will Smith, "The Sun kills!"

__________________
sui generis.
si vis pacem, para bellum

"Even if we win, we will have just eked out a victory, and we can't govern." - Barack Obama.



"In my view, there simply is no untouchable constitutional right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to keep loaded handguns in the house in crime-ridden urban areas." - Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.