Breast Cancer Risk Declines with Use of Aspirin and Ibuprofen

Recent findings published in the Journal of American Medicine show that taking aspirin and ibuprofen can actually reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

The results of the study were staggering and offer hope to women who live in fear of developing breast cancer due to a genetic disposition to the disease. The study found that among the women who participated in the study, those that adhered to an aspirin regimen had a thirteen percent lower risk factor of developing breast cancer and those that adhered to an ibuprofen regimen had a staggering twenty-one percent lower risk of developing the deadly cancer.

Caution Issued for Aspirin and Ibuprofen Use

Researchers caution, however, that while it may be enticing to pop these over-the-counter and easily attainable drugs in an effort to reduce one’s chance of developing breast cancer, it is also important to point out that taking these drugs can also cause one to develop intestinal bleeding. And even more alerting is the profound risk of heart problems that can develop after taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which for simplicity sake are usually abbreviated to NSAIDs or NAIDs , are drugs with analgesic, antipyretic and, in higher doses, anti-inflammatory effects, which reduce pain, fever and inflammation.

These Medicines Used for Preventing Breast Cancer

One of the authors of the study, Mahyar Etminan, Pharm.D. of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, comments that the link is plausible. But Bahi Takkouche, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, states that he would not recommend women take these medicines for the goal of preventing breast cancer.

Research that was conducted on animals show that NSAIDs could be more beneficial in fighting certain types of cancer of the breast than others and the results are mixed.

The REACT Trial Study

Mahyar Etminan remarked that the initial study looking at NSAIDS and its possible effect on cancer is currently being conducted in a study called the REACT trial. This study is being conducted in the UK on women who are, unfortunately, at a higher risk of developing cancer of the breast. The study is aimed at answering the question as to whether or not NSAIDs are indeed effective in lowering the risk of breast cancer for these women.

Risk Factors for Developing Breast Cancer

Risk factors of developing breast cancer include aging, genetic factors, which can cause a predisposition to the disease, personal history of the disease, race and ethnicity, dense breast tissue, and certain benign breast conditions.

Breast Cancer Statistics

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancers in women. Notwithstanding non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in women. Breast cancer is the highest individual cause of cancer death in Hispanic women. And breast cancer is the second most prevalent reason for death related to cancer in white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.

Screening for Breast Cancer

Screening is important because it can aid in finding the cancerous cells at an early stage. When abnormal cells or tissue are found at an early state they are easier to treat.

By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread.

Visit to the Doctor

A woman’s visit to the doctor will most likely include a breast exam during which any breast changes are examined. This is a way to help screen for breast cancer. In most cases, if a woman is 40 years old, the attending physician will recommend a mammogram as well as routine breast exams.

It is important for women to periodically visit their physicians office for an exam. Some medical experts have commented that the term well women “annual visit” should be replaced by “periodic well-woman visit.”