Aspirin 'can reduce risk of breast cancer'
Drugs such as aspirin can reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 20%, according to a review of studies published in the last 27 years.
Experts analysed 21 studies involving more than 37,000 women and found an overall decreased risk for women taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
They also discovered that NSAIDs could potentially play a role in treating women already diagnosed with breast cancer.
However, the researchers cautioned that more studies were needed on the ideal type of drug, dose and duration before there was any big push to get women to take the drugs routinely.
They also warned that more research was needed on whether any benefits outweighed side effects in the long term.
They concluded: “NSAIDs may reduce breast cancer risk by 20% but the optimal type, dose and duration is still undetermined, together with the feasibility of such an intervention in an at-risk population.
“There may be a role for NSAIDs in combination with endocrine therapies as either an adjuvant or palliative treatment for women with established breast cancer.”
Ian Fentiman, professor of oncology at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, carried out the study, published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice (IJCP).
He said: “Our review of research published over the last 27 years suggests that, in addition to possible prevention, there may also be a role for NSAIDs in the treatment of women with established breast cancer.
“NSAID use could be combined with hormone therapy or used to relieve symptoms in the commonest cause of cancer-related deaths in women.”
The review included 11 studies of women with breast cancer and 10 studies comparing women who did and did not have the disease.
“The purpose of a review like this is to look at a wide range of published studies and see if it is possible to pull together all the findings and come to any overarching conclusions,” Prof Fentiman said.
“”This includes looking at any conflicting results and exploring how the studies were carried out.
“For example some of the studies we looked at as part of this review found no links between NSAIDs and reduced levels of breast cancer, while others suggested that taking NSAIDs can reduce the breast cancer risk by about a fifth.
“Having weighed up the findings from over 20 studies, we have concluded that NSAIDs may well offer significant protection against developing breast cancer in the first place and may provide a useful addition to the treatment currently available to women who already have the disease.
“Recent studies of NSAIDs use have shown about a 20% risk reduction in the incidence of breast cancer, but this benefit may be confined to aspirin use alone and not other NSAIDs.”
