Summing Up Sunscreen

How much SPF do you really need?

by Sue Rochman
June 26, 2015

When a person chooses between sunscreen options, does the SPF really matter? Not as much as you might think.

As Consumer Reports explains, it’s easy to assume that a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 would give you twice the protection as an SPF of 15. But that’s not the case. An SPF of 100 provides 99 percent protection from ultraviolet B (UVB) rays while one with an SPF of 15 offers 93 percent, as the chart to the right shows. Also keep in mind: No sunscreen is 100 percent effective, and only those that are labeled “broad spectrum” provide protection from UVA rays as well.

Learn more about SPFs and how to safely enjoy the sun this summer in Stay Safe in the Sun on the Consumer Reports website.

Cancer Talk

Lifestyle Choices and Cancer

What people eat and drink and their level of physical activity can affect their risk of having cancer. New interventions aim to reduce risk factors.

by Kevin McLaughlin

Improving Colorectal Cancer Screening Options

Tests currently in development seek to offer greater accuracy and reach more people.

by Eric Fitzsimmons

Endometrial Cancer and Screening for Lynch Syndrome

AACR highlights team research that led to Lynch syndrome testing for all people with endometrial cancer in the U.K.

by Marci A. Landsmann

Improving Glioblastoma Treatment

Phase I clinical trial finds adding a radiosensitizer may improve radiation’s ability to kill this fast-growing brain cancer.

by Thomas Celona

From the AACR

Chemtai Mungo, MD, MPH: Bringing Cervical Cancer Treatment to More Women

An innovative self-treatment strategy for cervical precancer could save lives in low- and middle-income countries as well as underserved areas in the U.S.
From the Bench: Creative Approaches in Cancer Research

Insects that smell cancer, new CRISPR delivery tools, and a cancer-fighting battery—the AACR's new blog series, From the Bench, highlights creative approaches in cancer research.

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