Could an Aspirin a day Reduce Breast Cancer?

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study finds taking an aspirin a day may lower a woman's risk for a common type of breast cancer. The study reveals daily aspirin use was linked to a small reduction in estrogen-receptor positive (ER-positive) breast cancers. However, study authors say aspirin and other painkillers did not reduce the total risk of breast cancer.

About 75 percent of breast cancers are ER-positive. This means the cancer cells have receptors for the female hormone estrogen on their surface. Estrogen helps the cancer cells grow. Study authors say it's thought that aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could lower the risk of breast cancer. These type of drugs block an enzyme called cyclooxygenase that could disrupt breast cancer development.

For this study, researchers used data from more than 127,000 women between 51 and 72 years of age with no history of cancer. Study authors say their research found NSAID use was not linked to total risk of breast cancer in this study. However, when they looked at subgroups, they found aspirin reduced the risk of ER-positive breast cancer by 16 percent. This link was not seen in other types of breast cancers.

Researchers say this study supports the need for more studies looking at ER-positive breast cancer and aspirin use.

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SOURCE: Breast Cancer Research, published online April 30, 2008