Daily Aspirin Cuts Common Breast Cancer Risk

Daily aspirin intake may cut risk for developing the common type of breast cancer.

A study by National Institutes of Health examined 127000 US women aged from 51 to 72. The women were cancer free at the beginning of the study and 18% of them were taking a daily dose of aspirin. Women were followed for 7 years. During the study 4500 women developed breast cancer. The study showed that aspirin reduced risk for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer by 16%.

There have been several studies examining aspirin's impact on colorectal and breast cancer. The studies found no significant difference among those taking aspirin. However, when researchers looked at a specific type of breast cancer - estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer - they found that the painkiller really cuts the risk of it.

Another previously conducted research also showed that regular aspirin intake can cut the risk for developing estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, which accounts 3/4 of all breast cancer cases.

Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory painkiller commonly used as a treatment for arthritis, headaches, different body aches, and fever patients, and even for preventing recurring heart attack. In this study aspirin interferes with estrogen hormone activity, which is the common cause of 75% of all breast cancers.

Although aspirin doesn't significantly cut risk for developing ER-positive breast cancer, the impact is still big, because this is the common type of the disease. And even a small cut of risk is a step forward for women's health. However, researchers urge that women should not start taking high doses of aspirin without consulting a doctor.