Caffeine May Lower Skin Cancer Risk

According to a new report published in Cancer Research, caffeine may reduce skin cancer risk.

Researchers led by Jiali Han, PhD, associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health, suggest that those who drink caffeinated coffee are less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

Researchers studied the data from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) which involved 112,000 people. Twenty-four years of study for women and 22 years from 39,976 men. One-fourth of the participants or 22,786 people developed basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer in twenty years. 1,953 developed squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) or melanoma and 741 developed melanoma.  Those who drank at least three cups of coffee a day had almost twenty percent lower risk of developing this type of cancer.

However, the health benefits cannot solely be attributed to coffee. Caffeine matters; therefore, other beverages or food containing caffeine, like tea, chocolate, and cola can give you the same benefit.

“I think we’re seeing more and more evidence for the beneficial effects of coffee consumption,”

Han however said “I would not recommend increasing your coffee intake based on these data alone,” “However,” she continued, “Our results add basal cell carcinoma to a list of conditions for which risk is decreased with increasing coffee consumption. This list includes conditions with serious negative health consequences such as type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.”

Skin cancer affects 2.8 million Americans each year. One out of five Americans develop skin cancer. Four in five have basal cell carcinoma.

Han also said he’s not advising that people drink coffee and then bake at the beach. The best way to prevent skin cancer is to minimize exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or tanning booths, he says.

For comprehensive skin cancer prevention, minimizing UV exposure remains key. This includes avoiding the sun during peak hours, using sunscreen with at least SPF 15, and wearing protective clothing and sunglasses. Ensuring you have health insurance coverage can also be vital in supporting ongoing preventive care and early detection.