Low dose aspirin can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, October 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) – A new study suggests that regular use of low-dose aspirin could reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

The researchers analyzed data from more than 205,000 US women and found that those who reported recently using low-dose aspirin (defined as 100 mg or less) had a risk of developing cancer. ovary 23% lower than those who did not take aspirin on a regular basis. .

Women did not take aspirin at a low dose.

In addition, the study did not prove that aspirin reduced the risk of cancer, but simply that there was an association. And taking standard dose aspirin (325 mg) was not associated with a lower risk of ovarian cancer.

On the other hand, taking at least 10 tablets a week of non-aspirin NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, may be associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. ovarian, said the authors of the study.

"What really differentiated this study from previous work is that we were able to analyze low-dose aspirin separately from standard-dose aspirin," said Mollie Barnard, head of Study, which led the research while he was a PhD student at Harvard University, TH Chan School of Public Health.

"Our findings point out that research on the use of aspirin and cancer risk must take into account the dose of aspirin," she added in a press release issued to Harvard.

Barnard is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Huntsman Cancer Institute of the University of Utah.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among American women. There is growing evidence that inflammation plays a role in the development of this cancer. It is believed that aspirin can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by reducing inflammation.

"Further research is needed to determine which women could benefit the most from taking low-dose aspirin to reduce their risk of ovarian cancer," the author said. Principal Shelley Tworoger, Deputy Director of Population Science at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. , said in the press release. Moffitt's scientists were involved in the study.