According to a new study, consuming coffee decreases the risk of developing malignant melanoma, Science World Report reported. The study found that drinking coffee offers protection against non-melanoma skin cancers. However, the protective effect of coffee for cutaneous melanoma is not very clear.
Scientists gathered data from more than 447,000 men who took part in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. The subjects finished a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire in 1995-1996, with a median follow-up period of 10 years.
At the starting of the study, all participants were cancer-free, and the authors adjusted for smoking history, age, alcohol intake, physical activity, body mass index, sex and ambient residential ultraviolet radiation exposure.
The findings showed that the highest consumption of coffee was inversely associated with malignant melanoma risk. Researchers found that participants who consumed 4 cups per day or more showed a 20 percent lower risk for malignant melanoma. The more coffee participants consumed, the more protection from skin cancer they appeared to have. The protective effect increased from 1 or fewer cups of coffee to 4 cups of coffee or more. However, the protective effect was statistically significant for caffeinated coffee. The study was published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
According to Mayo Clinic, studies have demonstrated that coffee may have benefits, including protecting against liver disease, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, coffee seems to reduce the risk of depression and improve cognitive function.
Dr. Rob van Dam, a research scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said that their study on coffee and mortality found that individuals who consumed coffee on a regular basis had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease than their counterparts who rarely consumed coffee. However, further studies are required to confirm the findings.