Coffee can prevent cancer, at least according to researchers at Rutgers University who recently studied the effects of caffeine on skin cancer. In the study, a selection of hairless mice were subjected to ultraviolet radiation and given different topical treatments. One group received a combination of caffeine and acetone, another received just acetone. After 18 weeks, all the mice had developed skin tumors. However, the mice that received the caffeine treatments had 72 percent less than those that did not.

What’s remarkable about the findings is that the caffeine did not block the UV rays but seemed to prevent the formation of cancerous cells after skin damage had already occurred. Scientists theorize that caffeine inhibits the growth of abnormal cells by triggering cell death. Researchers are optimistic about the results and hope that the study will pave the way for skin treatments to be used after heavy sun exposure.
Currently skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. One million new cases are reported annually. It’s important to remember to take care of your skin with the proper treatments and skin products. A little sunscreen goes a long way.