News I Can Use: Coffee, Exercise, and Skin Cancer

Coffee is one of my few supposedly bad habits. I have a cup of strong coffee close at hand as I write this. And, like so many others, the first thing I do every morning is make a pot of coffee.

But wait, here's a headline, forwarded to me by the Cheeky Librarian, that makes me happy: Coffee and plenty of exercise could cut risk of skin cancer.

Of course, this research was done in rats, so take that into account before you throw away your sunscreen and rely on lots of java for sun protection. (I'm joking here, and I probably shouldn't. People take cancer-related news all too seriously. See Fake Drug, Fake Illness: A New Urban Legend Is Born.)

What the research, which was done with lab rats, found is that a combination of coffee and lots of exercise may lower the risk of skin cancer.

According to news reports, coffee and exercise are thought to work together to kill off precancerous cells whose DNA has been damaged by ultraviolet-B radiation from the sun. The rats were actually given caffeinated water, so you could take your caffeine straight if you don't like coffee.

The research also didn't say how much exercise a human being would need in order to get the same benefits, but the scientists do plan to do human studies soon.

The report didn't say anything about preventing recurrences of skin cancer, which is what I am really interested in, having had one bout with melanoma, but I'm going to assume, for now, that coffee and exercise are good for me.

Read:

Coffee and plenty of exercise could cut risk of skin cancer

@ Jeanne Sather 2007.

Comments

[Carver]

Hi Jeanne,

I heard about that article myself and I cheered. I am a BIG coffee drinker. Since I had node positive melanoma as well as a very deep primary, my biggest concern is a metastatic recurrence but heck, maybe my coffee is just what the doctor ordered. Since I'll be drinking it either way, I'll assume it is. I try to get as much exercise as possible but I'm sure your question about how much exercise is probably key, if indeed this amounts to anything in human studies. I know one thing, that's a study I'd sign up for. Cheers, Carver

[jeanne]

Carver--I'm with you: I'd sign up for this one! I'll let you know if I hear more about it. Coffee rules! Jeanne

[laurie]

I posted about a similar article on my blog yesterday, from Canada's Globe and Mail. The headline read, "A Cup of Joe Does More Good than Harm." Whoo hoo!
Red wine, dark chocolate and now coffee. Oh glory day!

[jeanne]

I forgot about the chocolate, but that's right!