Coffee beans are seen in the roasting area at Sightglass, a coffee bar and roastery, in San Francisco, California May 8, 2013. The new generation of upscale coffee shops and roasters includes dozens of operators around the country. They are in a race to f
Coffee beans are seen in the roasting area at Sightglass, a coffee bar and roastery, in San Francisco, California May 8, 2013. The new generation of upscale coffee shops and roasters includes dozens of operators around the country. They are in a race to find rare and distinctive beans and hope to elevate one of the world's oldest and most popular drinks in the same way that craft beer brewers, boutique wineries and olive oil makers won fans by focusing on high-quality ingredients and production. Picture taken May 8, 2013. To match feature USA-CRAFT/COFFEE REUTERS/Robert Galbraith REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

A study by the Yale School of Public Health and Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute found that consuming coffee could help lower the risk of malignant melanoma. The researchers, keeping in mind the effect of coffee against non-melanoma skin cancers, had a mission of learning if the same effect was seen against melanoma as well. The report was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

According to the Huffington Post, the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, a research program of the National Cancer Institute and the world's most comprehensive cancer research group, looked into the database of 447,357 non-Hispanic white participants, who were cancer-free initially. The participants, in 1995 and 1996, had responded to questions relating to their diet and 10 years later, provided the researchers with follow-up information.

The research team looked into the frequency of the exposure of ultraviolet rays on the participants, based on where the subjects lived. In addition, the participants were also assessed for age, sex, body mass index, amount of exercise and their smoking history. Data was adjusted based on the information provided.

It was found that four cups of caffeinated coffee reduced the risk of malignant melanoma by a massive 20 percent. The coffee consumed by the participants was not decaf. The researchers noticed that the more coffee the participants consumed, the lesser the chance of them suffering from malignant melanoma.

The researchers said that further research was necessary on the subject. The researchers also warned that the effect was observed only in the protection against malignant melanoma, not against melanoma in-situ. They also added that the results were primary and might not apply to all people. In addition to the effect against malignant melanoma, scientists also confirmed that coffee was good for skin and drinking more than two cups of coffee lowered the risk of basal cell carcinoma, one of the most common types of cancer in the US.

Malignant melanoma is a dangerous type of skin cancer but does not affect many and is cancerous in nature. Basal cell carcinoma are uncontrolled growths on the deepest layer of the skin and almost never spread.

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