A small dose of aspirin taken daily may protect against skin cancer to some extent, including its most dangerous form – melanoma, according to the authors of the study published in the journal Cancer.
The research conducted in Denmark covered almost 200 people. In total, skin cancers were diagnosed in about 000 participants – mainly basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and less frequently more malignant forms, such as melanoma.
As it turned out, patients who regularly took aspirin or similar anti-inflammatory drugs (ibupropen, naproxen) suffered from skin cancer by an average of 15%. less often in the case of squamous cell carcinoma, and by 13%. – in the case of melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma was also common with or without anti-inflammatory drugs. Anti-inflammatory drugs were taken mainly to prevent heart disease and to relieve joint pain. The higher the dose and the longer the duration of administration, the lower the risk of cancer was.
Experts commenting on these results point out that the best way to avoid skin cancer is still avoiding excessive exposure to the sun’s rays and using protective preparations.
Previous research has indicated that anti-inflammatory drugs can prevent many types of cancer. However, they also have adverse side effects, such as gastrointestinal bleeding.