A recent study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology suggests that caffeine can help kill human skin cells damaged by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, potentially thereby clearing the damage caused by UV to the human body and preventing certain types of skin cancer.
As a major type of skin cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in humans, but it rarely metastasizes or causes death.
UV radiation damages the DNA in skin cells, leading to mutations or cancerous changes, making excessive exposure to UV radiation a significant risk factor for non-melanoma skin cancer.
In this study, researchers from the University of Washington found that skin cells damaged by UV radiation, which are in a pre-cancerous state or are dividing, have a high demand for a certain protein. Caffeine can inhibit this protein, allowing it to kill these cells before they become cancerous.
The researchers do not recommend drinking coffee to reduce the risk of skin cancer, as a previous study of 90,000 Caucasian women found that for each additional cup of coffee consumed per day, the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer only decreased by 5%. However, this discovery could be used to develop topical ointments that can repair UV damage to the skin.