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A new study suggests that aspirin or similar pain killers on a regular basis may protect against skin cancer.

Researchers believe that painkillers can reduce the risk of a person contacting even the deadliest kind of cancer including malignant melanoma by about 15%.

Although experts say that using sunscreen and avoiding sun are the best way to prevent skin cancer, there is also increasing evidence of effects of aspirin in reducing the risk of some cancers."But it's too soon to say if this includes skin cancer," says Hazel Nun, Head of health information at Cancer Research UK, according to BBC.

The research published in the journal Cancer involved study of 200,000 people in Denmark of which about 18000 were diagnosed with one or the other kind of cancer.

The medical records of the individuals were studied including the records of those who were prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen over an eight-year period. The drugs were prescribed to many for heart conditions or arthritis.

The study revealed that those who were prescribed NSAIDs more frequently were less likely to have skin cancer. Also, the higher and longer the medication, the more protective effect the drugs had.

Although NSAIDs did not seem to lower the overall risk of basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common and least aggressive type of skin cancer, they did cut the risk of basal cell carcinomas developing on certain parts of the body other than the head and neck, reports BBC.

However, benefits of taking the drugs for healthy people are still unclear. Researchers at the University Hospital in Denmark say that further research is needed to confirm their findings.

The studies conducted on animals suggest that NSAIDs help in blocking the growth of early pre-cancerous skin lesions, but it is not clear if this is the case with humans too.

In the study, the amount of drugs consumed by the individuals was not made clear by the researchers and also, sun exposure — the main cause of skin cancer was also not looked at by the researchers.

"By far and away the best way to reduce the risk of skin cancer is to enjoy the sun safely, and take care to avoid sunburn. Sunburn's a clear sign that your skin's been damaged, and this damage can build up over time and lead to skin cancer in the future. When the sun's strong, use a combination of shade, clothes and at least SPF 15 sunscreen to protect your skin. There is mounting evidence that aspirin does reduce the risk of some cancers, but it's too soon to say if this includes skin cancer. Aspirin can have serious side effects - so it's important to talk to a doctor about the risks and benefits if you're thinking of taking it regularly." Hazel Nunn of Cancer Research UK was quoted as saying by BBC.