14 DAY TRIAL // According to a large-scale research whose findings were recently published in the journal Cancer, people who take one aspirin on a fairly regular basis have lower risks of developing melanoma (i.e. a type of skin cancer) than those who do not.
This research linking regular aspirin intake to a lower risk of skin cancer was carried out by a team of specialists working with the Stanford University School of Medicine's Cancer Institute.
In all fairness, quite a lot of past studies have linked aspirin to lower risks of various types of cancer, yet what sets this particular research apart is the fact that it involved the monitoring of a total of 60,000 post-menopausal women over a period of 12 years.
Thus, the study is one of the largest of its kind, meaning that its findings are arguably more trustworthy than those previously obtained by other scientists.
Turning to the matter at hand, it appears that women who take aspirin several times per week are roughly 20% less likely to develop melanoma at one point in their lives.
Furthermore, those who “indulged” in an aspirin at least five times per weeks experienced a drop of 30% in their risk of melanoma, International Business Times says.
The women taken into consideration for this research were all Caucasian ones, and their ages ranged from 50-70.
As the researchers explained, their choosing to focus on Caucasian women had to do with the fact that light-skinned individuals are more prone to developing melanoma than darker-skinned ones are, seeing how they have a rather difficult time tanning and often get sunburns.
Commenting on the findings of this research, principal author Dr. Jean Tang argued as follows: “These findings suggest that aspirin may have a chemopreventive effect against the development of melanoma.”
Still, Dr. Jean Tang cautioned that, “Further clinical investigation is warranted.”
Although aspirin might help lower one's risk of developing melanoma and other types of cancer, scientists wish to stress the fact that it can also cause other medical conditions.
“It's so important for people to remember that although you can buy aspirin over the counter, it is a real drug with significant side effects. It can increase your risk of having a stomach ulcer or a gastrointestinal bleed.”
“Right now the best way to prevent skin cancer is to use sunscreen, wear protective clothing and avoid of the sun between peak hours,” stated Dr. Richard Besser.