Sunscreen immune protection factor prediction of inhibition of anti-tumour immunity and carcinogenesis

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Despite sunscreens having been used in Australia for more than 25 years the incidence of skin cancer continues to increase. This is partly due to the long lag time in developing a skin cancer, so that the current incidence reflects sun exposure patterns of many years ago. However this is also partly due to sunscreens not being as effective at preventing skin cancer as they are at preventing sunburn. The ultraviolet wavelengths found in sunlight are the prime cause of skin cancer. Australians are exposed to high levels of sunlight, and consequently 66% of Australians develop skin cancer throughout their lifetime. For this reason, Australia has been dubbed the Skin Cancer Capital of the World. To reduce the incidence of skin cancer in Australia, it is recommended that individuals use sunscreens. The means of assessing the effectiveness of sunscreens is based on an SPF system, which measures the ability of sunscreens to prevent sunburn (erythema). However sunburn is induced by particular ultraviolet wavelengths, and may not be as important for skin cancer assessment as other damaging effects of sunlight, such as immunosuppression and genetic mutations. Sunscreens should be tested for protection from immunosuppression as well as sunburn, as this would aid the development of better sunscreens. We have developed the technology to measure protection of the immune system, and intend to investigate the usefulness of this new sunscreen test.