6MP: research/evidence for what = "safe-ish" Sun Exposure?

[InkyStinky]

Hi all!

(Ok, if I've missed a thread where this is covered, could someone point me to it?)

I am trying to determine a personal risk/benefit analysis on limited sun exposure while on 6MP.

So far I've come up with generalities ("limit sun exposure"... "sun exposure discouraged".... "use SFP whatever sunscreen") but no studies/research/etc on what exactly "limited sun exposure" means and why exactly I'm supposed to limit it.

6MP is my long-term maintenance med (currently: 50mg/day), and some years/times of the year I get a rash from sun exposure. When I get the rash, I limit exposure as much as possible (hats, long sleeves/pants, etc). This summer, I am not getting the rash. I've found I feel better if I get about 10 - 20min a day of direct sun exposure (no sunscreen).

So.... anyone know of studies addressing:
---> what exactly are the risks of sun exposure on 6MP? Is the worry skin cancer from easier sun-burning? Skin cancer without sun-burning? Etc?

---> what does "limited" exposure mean? A certain amount of time in minutes? Get out of the sun before ya burn? Etc?

Thanks!

 

[Cosmojo]

I accessed the medical and biological literature and I couldn't find anything, I can send you the papers on why its bad if you want, I'm a research scientist and even I think its heavy reading- but I am more than happy to send the link between sun and DNA damage to cells in cancer related therapies such as 6mp.

 

[InkyStinky]

I can send you the papers on why its bad if you want,

Thanks so much, Cosmojo! I really appreciate you looking! When you get a chance I'd be interested in the papers - my husband's an RN who loves medical-tech stuff so maybe together we can make some sort of sense out of them! :lol:

Did you get the sense that any dosage of 6MP leads to increased DNA damage? (If I understand correctly, my dose is much smaller than a dose for cancer/organ transplant.)

 

[Cosmojo]

Yea, I get the feeling that the higher the dose, and the more sun exposure leads to higher risk. I think these 3 articles are the most informative, you sort of have to piece the information together but hope you find something insightful!
A general article which addresses skin cancer links with IBD:
http://www.jabfm.org/content/27/3/411.full

DNA damage in cancer type treatments
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/8/2636/htm

How 6mp works and the risks and reactions:
http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/10/3/495.full