Could daily aspirin prevent breast cancer?
An aspirin a day could keep breast cancer at bay, according to the findings of a new study published in the journal Laboratory Investigation. Conducted by Dr. Sushanta Banerjee, research director of the Cancer Research Unit at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Kansas City, MO, and colleagues, the study revealed how low-dose aspirin impaired the ability of breast cancer cells to renew.
The researchers say their findings suggest a daily dose of aspirin - a medication commonly used to relieve pain and prevent blood clots - could prevent breast cancer development and recurrence in women.
After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer for women in the US. This year, it is estimated that more than 230,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 40,000 will die from the disease.
This latest study is not the first to hail aspirin for its potential anticancer properties. In July 2014, Medical News Today reported on a study linking regular aspirin use to reduced risk of colon cancer in women, while a 2014 study from the University of Texas in Austin found regular aspirin use may halve breast cancer recurrence in overweight and obese women. As such, the researchers believe their findings indicate a daily dose of aspirin could be an effective prevention strategy against breast cancer. Dr. Banerjee says: [...] There are two parts here. We could give aspirin after chemotherapy to prevent relapse and keep the pressure on, which we saw was effective in both the laboratory and the mouse model, and we could use it preventatively.
While the teams results are promising, Dr. Banerjee admits that individuals should talk to their doctor before taking a daily dose of aspirin, pointing to the potential side effects of the drug, such as internal bleeding.
MNT
