US Pharm. 2018;43(6):20-21.
Previous studies have demonstrated a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in individuals with various cancers, including nonmelanoma skin cancers (including squamous cell cancers and basal cell cancers). A new study in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology finds that this inverse relationship also holds true for malignant melanoma.
The study included patients aged 60 to 88 years with a clinic follow-up of at least 1 year and no diagnosis of AD or skin cancer at the beginning of the study. Of 1,147 patients who were later diagnosed with malignant melanoma, five were diagnosed with subsequent AD. Of 2,506 patients who were diagnosed with basal cell cancer, five had a subsequent AD diagnosis, and of 967 who were diagnosed with squamous cell cancer, only one had a subsequent AD diagnosis.
After adjustments, a diagnosis of malignant melanoma was associated with a 61% reduced risk of developing AD. For basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the reduced risks were 82% and 92%, respectively.
