For many of us, exercise would be nearly impossible without caffeine. Now a new
study shows that exercise and moderate caffeine consumption together could help
ward off sun-induced skin cancer.
Before you rush off to the Coffee Bean, a local cancer screener warns, don't
ditch the sunscreen for a cup of Joe just yet.
Steven Hawkes has a sharp eye for skin cancer -- as a screener for a local group
of dermatologists. He inspects at least 75 people every week for signs of
malignancy.
Among them, Henderson resident, Micole Church, whose had a run-in with skin
cancer more than once. "At a very young age, in my early 20's, I have several
spots frozen underneath my cheeks and around my eyes. But when I was pregnant
with my third child, I had Basal cell carcinoma removed from the side of my
nose."
If there was a proven way to prevent skin cancer, Micole would be willing to try
it. For now, she wears sun block and hats every day.
New research out of Rutgers University suggests that exercise and caffeine
together increased the ability of mice to kill off a form of pre cancerous cells
that would have developed into skin cancer.
Hawkes says that may be great for the mice, but among humans he regularly finds
skin cancer among patients who both exercise and consume caffeine.
"The incidence of skin cancer is more evident in the younger population. And
we're seeing more and more of that. We do see a lot of people who are very
healthy individuals and have skin cancer," said Hawkes.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more
than 1 million people diagnosed annually. For the more aggressive forms, early
detection can save your life, and annual skin checks are recommended.
Nevada has a much higher incidence of skin cancer than other states, with 24
cases per 100,000 people, versus 18 cases in the nation as a whole.
