The commonly used anti-inflammatory prescription drug called celecoxib (Celebrex) has shown hopeful results in defending people against certain types of skin cancer.

Earlier researches had reported the effectiveness of drug in handling cancroid during trials on mice.

The Cox 2 inhibitor is believed to fight the deadly disease by suppressing the development of new vessels required to develop the tumour.

A study published in Cancer Prevention Research, people suffering from Gorlin syndrome, a condition linked with genetic sensitivity to a skin cancer known as basal cell carcinoma, are 50% less likely to have the condition when they are consuming celecoxib.

The total burden of the malady was also reported to be lower among those taking NSAID.

Celecoxib, however, was only helpful in those with mild forms of the disease.

Study coauthor Jean Tang stated, "Those with a lot of lesions may have other genetic mutations that make their cancer more robust."

But, various health functionaries cautioned over the routine use of celecoxib, emphasizing that the medicine is linked with potential cardiovascular risks in certain individuals.

The study has been issued in the Jan 5 issue of Cancer Prevention Research.