Research shows that taking a daily dose of aspirin could reduce the risk of developing a number of cancersincluding colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, and prostate cancer. But what about breast cancer? Could taking aspirin benefit breast cancer survivorsif not to prevent their cancer in the first place, to reduce their risk of dying from it?
The answer may be “yes for some people, no for others,” according to a new study published today in Cancer, the official journal of the American Cancer Society. Specifically, researchers from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill found that, when it comes to breast cancer, aspirin could either help or hurt survival outcomesand the determining factor has to do with DNA changes in the breast cancer tumor and in the blood surrounding the tumor.
Read MoreThe researchers analyzed survival outcomes and DNA changes in 1,266 women diagnosed with breast cancer, some of whom took aspirin before their diagnoses.
In breast cancer survivors who did not have this methylation process taking place in specific parts of their tumor DNA (and the DNA of the blood surrounding the tumor), the researchers found, the risk of dying from breast cancer fell by 22 percent to 40 percent.
But in women who did have that methylation in that same parts of their DNA, taking aspirin every day was actually associated with a 67 percent increase in death (from all causes, including breast cancer). The researchers didn’t determine exactly how the link between aspirin and an increased risk of dying worked for the women with DNA methylation, but the idea is that the aspirin was at play in the process.
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The difference in outcomes was pretty significantand while the researchers were careful to say that the findings are not conclusive enough to lead doctors to recommend aspirin based on DNA methylation, the study does help to explain why aspirin could be beneficial for some people, but a bad idea for others.
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Aspirin and Cancer: How it (Likely) Works
Aspirin is pretty ubiquitous in the world of over-the-counter pain relieversan “under-the-bathroom-sink” staple for most households. But while the drug may not seem like anything all that revolutionary in and of itself, mounting evidence has shown that, over time, aspirin's main jobthat is, reducing inflammationcan, in turn, help reduce cancer risk.
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The reduced risk has to do with inflammation, which can increase cancer risk over time.
Inflammation is a natural function of the immune system, but it's only supposed to be temporary, Dr. Stephen Freedland, Director of the Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle at Cedars-Sinai Cedars Sinai Medical Center, explained to SurvivorNet in a previous conversation. "Sometimes we don't turn [inflammation] off so quickly, and that can over time lead to [DNA] damage… which can ultimately lead to cancer risk."
For people who have inflammation that doesn't "turn off so quickly,"such as people with obesity or other conditions that cause inflammationtaking aspirin can help to curb that dangerous inflammation.
"Chronic inflammation is a key player in the development of multiple cancer types, including breast cancer," Dr. Tengteng Wang, one of the researchers at UNC Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Health and one of the lead authors of the study said in a press release about the findings. "Aspirin is a major non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug which has anti-inflammatory properties. Given this, substantial evidence from laboratory and population studies suggests that taking aspirin may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer."
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Not a Sure Bet
One of the big problems with the "aspirin-can-prevent-cancer" theory is that the research isn't complete enough to say how much aspirin someone should take for cancer prevention, or for how long they should take it. And in breast cancer specifically, the research isn't complete enough to say for which people the drug might actually be causing more harm than good.
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But the new study is a step in the right directionand with further research, the hope is, researchers may be able to determine who should and should not be taking aspirin for cancer-related reasons.
"The findings do not indicate that anyone with elevated breast cancer risk should start taking aspirin, and people should speak to their doctors before they make changes to their medications," the study’s press release notes. This detail is important to keep in mind; even though aspirin is an over-the-counter drug, it's crucial that you talk to your doctor before deciding whether to take it.
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