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# Non-melanoma skin cancer patients have low risk for Alzheimer's disease
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/non-melanoma_skin_cancer_alzheimer_s_disease_0710130607/
- Published: 2013-07-10T19:06:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:09:52.000Z
- Description: In the Einstein Aging Study of 1,102 adults averaging 79 years, people with non-melanoma skin cancer had an 80% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's alone after adjustment for other conditions. No link appeared with all-cause dementia, and the reason is unknown.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Disease, Health News, #vivvo-import

July 10, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in Neurology suggests that something that causes nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) may be protective against Alzheimer disease (AD), the main form of dementia. It can be sunshine, which boosts risk of skin cancer, or vitamin D that protects against AD, other studies suggest.

Dr. Richard Lipton at einstein.yu.edu and colleagues conducted the study and found prevalent non-melanoma skin cancer was associated with 80% reduced risk of only Alzheimer's disease. The association was derived after adjustment for demographics, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and coronary heart disease.

Dr. Lipton et al. found the inverse association after analysing data from 1,102 adults with a mean age of 79 years at baseline, who participated in the Einstein Aging Study. 

The study was intended to examine the association between non-melanoma skin cancer and subseuent risk for developing a neurocognitive disorder, only Alzheimer's disease, any Alzheimer's disease which may be diagnosed with other conditions like vascular dementia and all-cause dementia.

Alzheimer's disease patients were found at 79 percent less likely to develop only Alzheimer's disease after adjustment for other risk factors When the analysis considered APOE ε4 genotypes, which affects the risk of Alzheimer's disease, the association was similar in magnitude even though it was not as significant.

No significant association was found though between non-melanoma skin cancer and subsequent development of any AD or all-cause dementia.

The researchers concluded "This population-based longitudinal study shows that individuals older than 70 years with NMSC have a significantly reduced risk of developing AD compared with individuals without NMSC non-melanoma skin cancer."

Because the non-melanoma skin cancer was associated with Alzheimer's disease risk only, but not Alzheimer's disease with another diagnosis or all-cause dementia, something that causes non-melanoma skin cancer may actually protect against Alzheimer's disease, but not other dementia.

One possible explanation for the inverse association between non-melanoma skin cancer and Alzheimer's disease may be that sun rays (UV rays) increase the risk of skin cancer, but provide vitamin D, which D is known to protect against the development of Alzheimer's disease.

A review published in Journal of Alzheimer's disease shows that low serum vitamin D concentrations are more commonly found in patients with Alzheimer's disease. (reporting by David Liu, PHD)