Experts at London’s Guy’s Hospital reviewed 27 years worth of studies and concluded that anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin may reduce breast cancer by up to 20 percent.
The studies reviewed included 11 studies of women with breast cancer and ten studies that compared women who did and did not have the disease.However further research is needed to determine the best type, dose and duration and whether the benefits of regularly using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) outweigh the side effects, especially for high-risk groups. Some side effects can include gastrointestinal bleeding and perforation, which can carry a significant risk of ill health and death.
Previous studies have suggested that NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen, which have traditionally been used as mainstream non-prescription analgesics, may provide protection against coronary heart disease and some malignancies, such as colorectal cancer.
“More research is clearly needed and we are not advocating that women take these non prescription drugs routinely until the benefits and risks are clearer,” said Professor Ian Fentiman from the Hedley Atkins Breast Unit at the hospital, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. “But our findings clearly indicate that these popular over-the-counter drugs could, if used correctly, play an important role in preventing and treating breast cancer.”

Source: Blackwell Publishing Ltd via EurekAlert!