A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has found that coffee may lower the risk for the skin cancer melanoma.
Researchers used data from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study on more than 447,357 non-Hispanic whites who filled out a food-frequency questionnaire in 1995/1996, with a median follow-up of 10 years.
Researchers found that the highest coffee intake was inversely associated with a risk of malignant melanoma, with a 20 percent lower risk for those who consumed 4 cups per day or more. They also found that there was a trend toward more protection with higher intake, with the protective effect increasing from 1 or fewer cups to 4 or more. Decaffeinated coffee did not provide the same protective benefits, the study found.
The researchers called for additional investigations of coffee intake but concluded that, “Because of its high disease burden, lifestyle modifications with even modest protective effects may have a meaningful impact on melanoma morbidity.” Full study.
