Deadly Skin Cancer Rate Drops in Women Who Take Aspirin

In an analysis of data obtained in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, researchers established a preventive relationship between the regular use of aspirin and the incidence of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer -- and the fastest-growing cancer in the United States.

Aspirin Is Associated with Lower Melanoma Risk Among Postmenopausal Caucasian Women

The journal Cancer Monday published the results of data analysis from the study that examined statistics from nearly 60,000 postmenopausal Caucasian women age 50 to 79. Data for Caucasian women were chosen because the highest incidence rate of melanoma is found in this population, although people of any skin tone can develop this skin cancer.

The researchers noted that the women who reported regular use of aspirin had a 21 percent lower risk of melanoma than women who did not take aspirin. Additionally, longer periods of regular aspirin use were associated with even greater percentage differences in melanoma incidence between aspirin and non-aspirin users. The women who had reported regular aspirin use for five or more years experienced a 30 percent lower rate of melanoma incidence than their non-aspirin user counterparts.

The use of other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, NSAIDS, did not confer any noted benefit to the risk of melanoma in the data review.

Researchers concluded that aspirin may well have chemopreventive properties in the development of melanoma. Clinical trials are the next suggested step to determine the validity of this conclusion.

Oklahoma's Incidence of Melanoma

It may be surprising to learn that Oklahoma, home to Oklahoma City, is ranked as the seventh sunniest place in the nation and yet has one of the lowest incident rates of melanoma nationwide. Exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun is a common risk factor of basal, squamous and melanoma -- the three basic types of skin cancer.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal Oklahoma to be one of 13 states and the District of Columbia with the lowest incidence rates of melanoma in the United States at the rate of 7.0 to 17.7 persons out of 100,000 developing this condition.

Conversely, Oklahoma ranks third-highest among all states for deaths due to melanoma, at a rate of 3.1 to 3.2 out of 100,000 people succumbing to the disease.

All races and ethnicities are vulnerable to developing melanoma, the most virulent form of skin cancer. Caucasian people have the highest incidence rate followed by American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander and blacks.

What Can Oklahomans and Others Do To Protect Themselves From Skin Cancer?

According to the Melanoma Research Foundation, in 2009 nearly 63,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with melanoma, resulting in more than 8,500 deaths. Projections for 2012 estimate over 76,000 such diagnoses with more than 9,000 deaths.

Controlling your risk factors for developing skin cancer is the most important step you can take for prevention, with early detection of any suspicious areas on your skin also being vital.

Should you begin taking aspirin daily to try and reduce your chances of melanoma? Only you and your doctor can answer that question. Until more scientific evidence is available, many doctors may hedge on this type of recommendation.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/deadly-skin-cancer-rate-drops-women-aspirin-200200674.html

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