NSAIDs linked to lower breast cancer risk
Long-term use of ibuprofen or aspirin is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer in women with hormone receptor-positive tumours say US epidemiologists (J Am Med Assoc 2004;291:2433-40).

They compared the use of ibuprofen, aspirin or paracetamol in 1,442 women with breast cancer and 1,420 controls. After adjusting for age at diagnosis, body mass index and use of other medicines, those who reported taking ibuprofen or aspirin at least once weekly for at least 6 months had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer than controls (odds ratio, OR, 0.80; CI95% 0.66 - 0.97). The risk was even lower among those who took 7 or more tablets per week (OR 0.72; CI95% 0.58 - 0.90) and among regular users (OR 0.74, CI95% 0.59 - 0.92) but duration of use was not significant. There was no reduction in risk associated with paracetamol.

Subgroup analysis revealed that statistical significance was maintained for aspirin alone but not for ibuprofen, which was taken by fewer women. The reduced odds with aspirin occurred in women with hormone receptor-positive tumours, suggesting that NSAIDs may reduce breast cancer risk via COX inhibition, reducing the synthesis of prostaglandins that induce aromatase activity and therefore reducing the synthesis of oestrogen.

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