|
|
 |
|
|
|
February 19, 2014
Study Indicates Aspirin Reduces Ovarian Cancer 20%, Calls for More Research
Frederick, MD—Taking an aspirin daily can reduce ovarian cancer risk by 20%, according to a new study, but National Cancer Institute researchers caution that further investigation is needed before clinical recommendations should be made. The study, published earlier this month in Journal of the National Cancer Institute, could have a significant effect, according to background in the article. More than 20,000 women in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014, with more than 14,000 dying from the disease. The NCI study was the largest to data to look at the relationship between anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in reducing overall cancer risk. For the study, researchers looked at data pooled from 12 large epidemiological studies, part of the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium, to investigate whether women who used aspirin, nonaspirin NSAIDs, or acetaminophen have a lower risk of ovarian cancer. The research included nearly 8,000 women with ovarian cancer compared to 12,000 women who did not have the disease. Of study subjects reporting use of the three drugs, 18% took aspirin, 24% took nonaspirin NSAIDs, and 16% took acetaminophen. Results indicated that participants who reported daily aspirin use had a 20% lower risk of ovarian cancer than those who used aspirin less than once per week. The findings were less clear, however, for a variety of nonaspirin NSAIDs. Researchers noted a 10% lower ovarian cancer risk among women who used NSAIDs at least once per week compared with those who used NSAIDs less frequently, but the finding was not statistically significant. Use of acetaminophen, which is not an anti-inflammatory agent, showed no association with reduced ovarian cancer risk. “Aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer, especially among daily users of low-dose aspirin. These findings suggest that the same aspirin regimen proven to protect against cardiovascular events and several cancers could reduce the risk of ovarian cancer 20% to 34% depending on frequency and dose of use,” the authors conclude. “Our study suggests that aspirin regimens, proven to protect against heart attack, may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer as well. However intriguing our results are, they should not influence current clinical practice,” cautioned lead author Britton Trabert, PhD. “Additional studies are needed to explore the delicate balance of risk-benefit for this potential chemopreventive agent, as well as studies to identify the mechanism by which aspirin may reduce ovarian cancer risk.” The report pointed out that adverse side effects of daily aspirin use include upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke. |
U.S. Pharmacist Social Connect
 |
|