Skin cancer associated with lower risk of developing Alsheimer's

May 16, 2013

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/16/skin-cancer-associated-with-lower-risk-developing-alzheimers-study-finds/

Summary

Albert Einstein College of Medicine recently conducted a study to observe the relationship between non-melanoma skin cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Richard Lipton theorized that cancer's constant cell division would protect against the death of specific groups of cells characteristic of Alzheimer's. Lipton gathered and observed 1,102 people averaging 79 years old for around 3.7 years. Originally, no one had been diagnosed with dementia and 109 individuals had been diagnosed in the past. By the end of the study, 126 people developed dementia (100 were Alzheimer's) and 141 people had developed skin cancer. Only two people with skin cancer also developed Alzheimer's. This implied that people with skin cancer were 80% less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Currently, it is unknown why non-melanoma skin cancer actually reduces the likeliness of developing Alzheimer's.

Connection

This article relates to our study of the human body systems because both skin cancer and Alzheimer's disease impair the functions of the important body systems. Skin cancer affects the Integumentary system that protects the internal organs important to human survival. Alzheimers affects the central nervous system that receives, processes, and sends signals to the peripheral nervous system.