Aspirin and Skin Cancer: Helps Prevent Melanoma in Post-Menopausal Women (VIDEO)

Aspirin, the perfect pill for fighting pain, may also have a few other advantages. According to a recent study, the drug may guard against melanoma-the deadliest form of skin cancer.

A study of nearly 60,000 post-menopausal women found that those who used aspirin regularly were up to 21 percent less likely to be diagnosed with melanoma, according to ABCNews.com.

"These findings suggest that aspirin may have a chemopreventive effect against the development of melanoma," study author Dr. Jean Tang of Stanford University School of Medicine's Cancer Institute and colleagues wrote in their report, published today in the journal Cancer. "Further clinical investigation is warranted."

However, the study notes that aspirin causes the drop in cancer risk when consumed twice weekly and associated with a decreased risk among Caucasian women in their 50s, 60s and 70s. It also relied on self-reports of aspirin use, and failed to control for a family history of melanoma and hair color, which is higher among lighter hair colors, particularly redheads.

"This is one of many studies looking at the relationship between aspirin use and melanoma," said ABC News' chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser. "Some have found an association between taking aspirin and having a lower risk of melanoma and some have not."

The history of the drug dates back to 400 B.C., when people used salicin-containing willow tree bark to treat pain and inflammation. Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, also interferes with blood-clotting thromboxanes, leading some people take a daily dose to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The study is available online today in the journal Cancer.

Want to learn more about the benefits of Aspirin? Check out this video, courtesy of ABCNews.com.