London, February 27: Caffeine is capable of killing the cells that cause non-melanoma skin cancers in humans, a new research has found.
Reporting in the Feb. 26 online issue of the ‘Journal of Investigative Dermatology’, Dr. Paul Nghiem, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Washington in Seattle, and his team said that caffeine helps eliminate human cells damaged by UV light, which can develop into cancer. It acts as a stimulant, causing the cells to commit suicide.
Coffee lovers across the world are unknowingly fighting cancer at the microscopic level.
But the researchers do not intend to encourage consumption of large amounts of coffee considering the benefits highlighted by their study. “We are by no means recommending that people change their beverage habits,” said Dr. Nghiem.
However, they do believe that the findings may tempt cosmetic companies to formulate sunscreens and other topical creams with caffeine as the key ingredient.
"These data suggest topical application of caffeine...perhaps in a sunscreen or after-sun preparation could be investigated as an approach to minimize or reverse the effects of UV damage in human skin," wrote the researchers in their report.
Another recent study, which involved more than 90,000 Caucasian women, has revealed that each additional cup of caffeinated coffee was associated with 5 percent reduction in the risk of developing one of the skin cancers. Decaf beverages did not have a similar effect.
Non-melanoma skin cancers usually do not metastasize or pose a threat to life. But they are a growing concern as they form the most common type of cancer in humans. More than 1 million new cases are reported each year in the United States alone.
Non-melanoma skin cancers are usually caused by exposure to ultraviolet light. The rays cause DNA damage of skin cells, which then mutate or become cancerous.
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