Breast cancer survivors who took aspirin after completing treatment were half as likely to die or have their tumors spread around the body.
Breast cancer survivors who took aspirin after completing treatment were half as likely to die or have their tumors spread around the body compared with survivors who didn't take aspirin, a long-running study of more than four thousand nurses has shown.
Past studies conducted on animals suggest that aspirin may inhibit breast cancer. To study whether aspirin use among women with breast cancer reduces their risk of death from breast cancer, researchers studied 4,164 female registered nurses taking part in the Nurses' Health Study, an ongoing analysis of a wide range of health issues. From 1976 the researchers started looking at who took aspirin, watching for breast cancer and all causes of death until 2006. Over this time, 341 of the nurses died of breast cancer.
It was found that women who took aspirin two to five days a week had a 60 percent reduced risk of their cancer spreading and a 71 percent lower risk of breast cancer death. Six to seven aspirins a week lowered the risk of spread by 43 percent and the risk of breast cancer death by 64 percent. Most of the women were taking low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks and stroke. Other drugs in the same class as aspirin also apparently lowered the risks, too. These drugs, called non-steroidal inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, include ibuprofen and naproxen but not acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol.
The researchers are not sure how aspirin and other NSAIDS affect tumours but it could be by lowering inflammation. Other studies have shown that aspirin and ibuprofen can also lower colon cancer risk.
The researchers stressed that patients should not take aspirin while undergoing radiation or chemotherapy because of the risk of side effects and since aspirin can cause stomach bleeding, it should not be taken without a doctor's supervision.
Past studies conducted on animals suggest that aspirin may inhibit breast cancer. To study whether aspirin use among women with breast cancer reduces their risk of death from breast cancer, researchers studied 4,164 female registered nurses taking part in the Nurses' Health Study, an ongoing analysis of a wide range of health issues. From 1976 the researchers started looking at who took aspirin, watching for breast cancer and all causes of death until 2006. Over this time, 341 of the nurses died of breast cancer.
It was found that women who took aspirin two to five days a week had a 60 percent reduced risk of their cancer spreading and a 71 percent lower risk of breast cancer death. Six to seven aspirins a week lowered the risk of spread by 43 percent and the risk of breast cancer death by 64 percent. Most of the women were taking low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks and stroke. Other drugs in the same class as aspirin also apparently lowered the risks, too. These drugs, called non-steroidal inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, include ibuprofen and naproxen but not acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol.
The researchers are not sure how aspirin and other NSAIDS affect tumours but it could be by lowering inflammation. Other studies have shown that aspirin and ibuprofen can also lower colon cancer risk.
The researchers stressed that patients should not take aspirin while undergoing radiation or chemotherapy because of the risk of side effects and since aspirin can cause stomach bleeding, it should not be taken without a doctor's supervision.
COMMENT
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
