shutterstock_244918909Daily aspirin may rein in melanoma’s aggressive nature, new research suggests.

In the study, which appears in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, researchers reviewed the records of 148 melanoma patients and identified 39 individuals who took aspirin every day for at least 1 month at any time before their diagnosis. The reasons for patients’ daily aspirin use included coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, hyperlipidemia, and atrial fibrillation. Daily dose was 81 mg or 325 mg.

Those who took aspirin had significantly thinner tumors than those who didn’t use aspirin, indicating that it may protect against melanoma advancement. Thickness was gauged via Breslow depth.

Further research is needed to understand if, or how, aspirin may affect melanoma progression, the study authors conclude.