Regular Aspirin Use Curbs Risk of Liver and Ovarian Cancer
Two new studies have found that regular long-term aspirin use may lower the risk of certain cancers, adding to the growing evidence that aspirin may play a role as a chemopreventive agent. In the first study, a pooled analysis of two prospective US cohort studies, found that aspirin use was associated with a dose-dependent reduction in the risk of epatocellular cancer (HCC), an effect that was not observed with nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The second study analyzed NSAID use and ovarian cancer diagnosis using data from two large prospective cohorts and found that regular aspirin users had a lower risk of ovarian cancer. Conversely, an increased risk of ovarian cancer was observed with long-term high-quantity use of other analgesics, particularly nonaspirin NSAIDs. In an accompanying editorial, Victoria L. Seewaldt, MD, from the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, states that these two studies "have the power to start to change clinical practice." "Both ovarian cancer and HCC are deadly cancers in need of new prevention strategies," she writes. "The findings from these two studies provide important information that can guide chemoprevention. Cite this article: Regular Aspirin Use Curbs Risk of Liver and Ovarian Cancer - Medscape - Oct 04, 2018.
