Among responders to a very large diet and health study, those who drank the most coffee had the lowest risk for malignant melanoma. Decaf provided no protection.
Very few direct links have been established between diet and melanoma risk. In animal studies, caffeine has been shown to reduce UVB-mediated skin cancer formation. Investigators used the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study to look for associations between coffee consumption and melanoma.
Among the participants who filled out food-frequency questionnaires were 447,357 non-Hispanic whites who were cancer-free at baseline. In these participants, 2904 incident cases of malignant melanoma developed during a median of 10.5 years of follow-up. Compared with non-coffee drinkers, those with the highest intake (>4 cups daily) had significantly reduced risk for malignant melanoma (hazard ratio = 0.80; confidence interval, 0.68–0.93). This association was f…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresConsultant / advisory board Lubax; WorldCare Clinical
EquityLubax
Grant / Research support NIH; Department of Defense; American Skin Association; Piramal
Editorial boardsBritish Journal of Dermatology; Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology; Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Chair, Skin Cancer and Melanoma Committee); American Board of Dermatology (Director)
DisclosuresConsultant / advisory board Lubax; WorldCare Clinical
EquityLubax
Grant / Research support NIH; Department of Defense; American Skin Association; Piramal
Editorial boardsBritish Journal of Dermatology; Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology; Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Chair, Skin Cancer and Melanoma Committee); American Board of Dermatology (Director)