Daily dose of aspirin cuts the risk of ovarian cancer by 23%
‘Prolonged regular use’
TAKING a low dose of aspirin every day could slash women’s risk of ovarian cancer by a quarter, a major study has concluded.
Scientists who studied 205,000 women found that those who regularly took the painkiller were far less likely to be diagnosed with the disease.
Ovarian cancer – the sixth most common cancer among British women and known as a ‘silent killer’ because it shows few symptoms until too late to be treatable – affects about 7,400 women in the UK every year and kills 4,100.
The research team found that women who regularly took a quarterdose aspirin pill – typically available in the UK in a 75milligram dose for daily use – were 23 per cent less likely to develop ovarian cancer.
The same benefits were not found for a high- dose – the 300mg pill used to treat headaches – possibly because they were not taken long-term.
Harvard University researcher Dr Mollie Barnard said: ‘We were able to analyse low-dose aspirin separately from standard-dose aspirin. Our findings emphasise that research on aspirin use and cancer risk must consider aspirin dose.’
The study, published in the Jama Oncology journal, also found that other common painkillers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, when taken in quantities of at least ten tablets per week for several years, actually raise the risk of ovarian cancer by 19 per cent.
Aspirin is derived from a painkiller that was used for thousands of years, since the Ancient Egyptians found that an extract of willow bark helped mothers cope with the pain of child birth. But in recent years scientists have found that because it thins the blood and reduces inflammation, it can ward off the threat of diseases.
The cheap drug, which costs less than 2p per tablet, is commonly prescribed by doctors in lower doses to prevent heart problems because it stops platelets in the blood clumping together to form clots.
Scientists have for some time been exploring whether aspirin may ward off cancer, and have already shown that low- dose aspirin could significantly reduce the risk of bowel cancer. But the new Harvard study provides the strongest evidence to date that aspirin may also be used to stop ovarian cancer.
UK experts last night welcomed the findings.
Dr Mangesh Thorat of Queen Mary University of London said: ‘ This well- conducted study adds to the evidence that prolonged regular use of low-dose aspirin may reduce risk of ovarian cancer – but overall evidence still remains insufficient to recommend aspirin use specifically for ovarian cancer prevention.’
Experts warn, however, that people should consult their doctor before starting to take any drug.
Because aspirin is a blood thinner it comes with a risk of internal bleeding – particularly among people with certain conditions such as an abnormal heart rhythm. In some cases it can cause stomach bleeds and ulcers, which are not usually fatal but can require hospital treatment, but in rare instances it can cause a stroke or a lifethreatening haemorrhage.