Could prescription and over-the-counter pills that millions of women use every day to ease pain also help ward off breast cancer? A widely publicized study, appearing in late 2008 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that may be so.
In the study, researchers led by Dr. Mahyar Etminan of the University of British Columbia searched through Medline and other databases to cull data from 38 studies (including 19 case-control studies) focused on associations between breast cancer and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
These analgesic drugs include aspirin and ibuprofen (brand named Advil, Motrin), as well as naproxen (Aleve) and the prescription drug Celebrex.
Overall, the meta-analysis involved almost 2,789,000 subjects.
The result: "Overall, NSAID use is associated with reduced risk for breast cancer," the team concluded. In fact, a woman’s odds for developing breast cancer fell by 12 percent with regular NSAID use. "The results were similar for use of any NSAIDs, aspirin, and ibuprofen," the team added.
A dose-response relationship was not apparent, however, since the researchers "did not find evidence that high intakes (either higher doses or longer duration) were associated with a greater reduction in breast cancer."
How might these drugs, typically taken to ease arthritic and other chronic pain, help prevent breast cancer? Dr. Etminan's group note that NSAIDs may be chemopreventive via their inhibition of an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX), which in turn limits the synthesis of hormones called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are known to help spur tumor growth, and “prostaglandin levels are elevated in breast cancer tissue,” the researchers note.
NSAIDs have also been studied for their preventive effects on other malignancies, especially colon cancer.
However, the researchers stress that a meta-analysis involving primarily observational data is insufficient to recommend that women take NSAIDs to help prevent breast cancer. Only large randomized, controlled trials can get us closer to the truth on that issue, the experts said.
References
- Takkouche B, Regueira-Méndez C, Etminan M. 2008. Breast cancer and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: a meta-analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst. Oct 15;100(20):1439-47.
