Posted at: 03/11/2013 10:38 PM
Updated at: 03/11/2013 10:42 PM
By: John Doetkott

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Aspirin May Help Prevent Skin Cancer

(ABC 6 News) -- Taking aspirin can ease your headache, help prevent heart attacks, and now it may help fight yet another very serious disease: skin cancer.
     
In a new study researchers from Stanford University found women 50 and older who took aspirin at least twice a week lowered their risk of getting the deadly skin cancer known as melanoma by at least 20 percent.    

Aspirin reduces inflammation which plays a big role in cancer development.

Experts say this is just the latest in a long list of conditions that can be treated by the wonderdrug called aspirin.

“Other studies have shown aspirin reducing the risk of stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, and this study suggests that maybe it will work for melanoma too,” said Dr. Jean Tang of Stanford University’s School of Medicine.

But don't start popping extra pills just yet.

Researchers said more studies are needed to determine whether aspirin is directly responsible for the reduced risk.