We know the routine: when we're feeling that headache or any muscle ache, we reach out for that painkiller, which can be an ibuprofen or aspirin. We can't think of any other use ofr them other than to, well, relieve the pain.
But it turns out it can do so much more. In a new study conducted on this common medication, it can be used to reduce your risk of skin cancer.
These painkillers are referred to as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). In other words, they are meant to significantly reduce or even eliminate any type of inflammation, which is often the main cause of your pain. Over the last few years, however, some health experts suggest that the same drugs can be used to minimize skin cancer risk.
This has been hush-hush until a research team decided to put it to a test by looking into more than 5 studies that established the correlation between one of the most common kinds of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma and these drugs. They then discovered that those who took an NSAID regularly lowered their risk to as much as 18%.
How is it able to do that? These NSAIDs such as aspiring can actually prevent the growth of tumor by inhibiting the production of COX-2 enzyme. But before you take these drugs on a much regular basis, you have to know a few things.
One, it's not really advisable to take these medications on a consistent basis especially if you're healthy since they are known to cause bleeding of the stomach. Moreover, it's common knowledge that drugs carry side effects, which may only outweigh the risks in the long term.
Still, the health experts believe that the best way to reduce your risk of skin cancer is to spend less time outside. This way, you can also minimize your exposure to the harmful UV rays, which are deemed responsible for skin cancer.
