Summer is approaching in Argentina. As we're trying to decide about holiday destinations, a friend tells me that cancer survivors of any kind (not only skin cancers) should beware of sun rays, since solar light might encourage cancer cells. Is this true?

Shoshana

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr Vinod K Joshi,

Hello Shoshana

The only special thing about cancer patients is that their skin might have been exposed to radiotherapy and so isn't as protective against the sun - it gets 'sunburnt' more easily. Hence the advice is to stay out of the sun or cover the area, etc. I am not aware of any other increased risk.

Best wishes
Vinod

Thanks a lot, Vinod! What a relief!
Shoshana

Shoshana,

Use sunblock! I got burned bad once this summer I put block where radiation was but burned everywhere else!

Pam

sure wish the sun block would work on the bottom of my dogs. balls and toes of both feet look and feel like they are sunburned. this comes from chemo treatments and an experimental drug named Sonfafenib which acts like a booster to chemo. i successfully used vaseline every night which prevented my feet from cracking. it was so messy and i was so lucky when my research nurse gave me a sample of "udderly smooth" which is really good and not messy. web search will give you their web site.

but it didn't help much when i went to see Colt McCoy play his last home football game at the Darrell K Royal Stadium at University of Texas at Austin. Offical seating capactiy is 100,119 but we had 101,357 spectators there. this doesn't count the 10 to 15K tail gaters who are outside drinking and watching the game on flat-screen TVs. round trip walking to the parking garage is about 1.5 miles and for the next 2 or 3 days when walking i would have to walk on the back of my heals rather than the ball of my foot because my dogs were so sore.