eNews Archive

AMA Urges New Supercommittee to Repeal SGR

Renewing its call for repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), the AMA this month sent a letter to the newly formed Joint Congressional Committee on Deficit Reduction, urging it to address the problem before a 30 percent cut in Medicare reimbursements takes effect January 1. AMA estimates it will cost nearly $300 billion to repeal the SGR now and that the cost will rise to $600 billion in five years.

“The Medicare physician payment system is broken, and we know that continued reliance on recent policies will increase the cost of fixing the problem,” said AMA President Peter W. Carmel, MD in a statement. The Association champions a three-pronged approach to reforming the physician payment system: 1.) repealing the SGR, 2.) implementing a five-year period of stable Medicare physician payments, and 3.) developing a new payment system. See a video about the SGR at DermTube.com.

View the 9/26/2011 eNews

Internet Research May Increase Melanoma Anxiety

Use of the Internet for disease-specific research by patients with skin cancer is growing, new data suggest. While patients with NMSC generally find comfort in the information they find, those with melanoma may experience greater anxiety (Dermatologic Surgery 37(9):1252). In fact, one third of patients with melanoma reported increased anxiety after Internet research.

Findings come from a survey of 415 individuals with melanoma and 400 with NMSC. Internet use and overall satisfaction with the Internet search increased more than 50 percent since 2005 among participants with melanoma. Factors associated with increased likelihood to conduct Internet research associated with a skin cancer diagnosis included: younger age, female sex, more highly educated, and melanoma diagnosis.

View the 9/26/2011 eNews

What Delays Melanoma Diagnosis?

Factors contributing to delayed diagnosis of melanoma within one academic dermatology practice over the course of a decade included: location on trunk and extremities, new patient status, patient concern before biopsy, and physician suspicion of nonmelanoma skin cancer. The findings, presented early online in Dermatologic Surgery, could have clinical implications for anyone charged with melanoma diagnosis.

The data come from a review of clinical records and histology for 572 melanomas diagnosed at a group practice from1999 to 2008. Melanoma biopsies increased significantly more than nevus biopsies and patient visits. Most (81 percent) melanomas arose de novo, with remaining lesions as likely to arise from common as dysplastic nevi. Melanomas were detected at twice the rate, and at earlier stage, in established as in new patients. Only 1.4 percent of melanomas were biopsied only for patient concern.

View the 8/22/2011 eNews

Coffee May Prevent Skin Cancers

Should individuals stop drinking coffee and start wearing it? New evidence offers additional support for the anti-skin cancer benefits of ATR protein inhibition associated with caffeine. Previous studies showed that following UVB irraditation, caffeine-fed mice developed fewer skin cancers than their non-caffeinated counterparts. A new study confirms the cancer-preventing effects of ATR inhibition in mice, Science Daily reports, suggesting that further research is likely.

For the current study performed by researchers at Rutgers University and the University of Washington and reported by Science Daily, mice were genetically modified to not express ATR. Genetically modified mice and controls were then exposed to UVB radiation. The genetically modified mice developed tumors more slowly than control mice, had 69 percent fewer tumors than regular mice, and developed four times fewer invasive tumors. The findings may support further study of caffeine as a topical intervention to prevent skin cancers.

View the 8/22/2011 eNews

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