Don’t want Skin Cancer? Drink Coffee
Written by Dr. Jeffery Herman // October 24, 2011 // Nutrition // No comments
New research has found that the greater amount of caffeine intake is associated with a decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a slow-growing form of skin cancer. The study also looked at the association of caffeine with other types of skin cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma; however, no change in risk was observed.
In this research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, women were 20% less likely to get BCC, while men had a 9% decrease in BCC risk, with an average of three cups of coffee a day.
It is difficult to say if the potential health risks of drinking a large amount of coffee outweighs the health risks of BCC; however, this study could lead to a better understanding of how BCC develops. Perhaps the use of caffeine in a novel BCC treatment will be developed.
Coffee consumption associated with decreased risk for basal cell carcinoma
