Having four cups of coffee a day may lower a person’s risk of having skin cancer and skin cancer that is malignant. The first comprehensive study of the correlation between coffee consumption and the incidence of skin cancer was conducted by Erikka Loftfield of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute and colleagues.
The results indicated that people that drink four cups of coffee a day have a 20 percent lower risk of developing skin cancer. The result was seen for caffeinated coffee only. The protective effect of coffee was greater for malignant melanoma than other types of skin cancer. A mole is a skin cancer that stopped growing.
The study population was taken from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. The study included 447,357 non-Hispanic Caucasians. The dietary habits of the participants were tracked for 10 years. Variations in alcohol consumption, sex, smoking, level of physical activity, and weight were accounted for in the study.
No coffee maker or producer funded the study. This is the first exacting study that shows a reduction in skin cancer that may be caused by the consumption of caffeinated coffee. The researchers note that because all the participants were Caucasian the results may not translate to all people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. One has to wonder in these racially divisive times if some group of attorneys will not use this study as a basis for litigation against coffee makers if more research does not prove the same results for everyone.
