asprin reduces breast cancer

mawhinney · February 2010

I found this article on Caring4Cancer~

Aspirin May Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence and Death

Among women who are at least one year beyond a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer, regular aspirin use may reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence and death. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) include drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These drugs are commonly used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Studies conducted in the lab suggest that these drugs may have the ability to reduce breast cancer growth.

To explore the relationship between aspirin use and breast cancer outcomes, researchers conducted a study among more than 4,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study. The women included in the analysis had been diagnosed with Stage I-Stage III breast cancer between 1976 and 2002, and were observed until 2006.

Because women undergoing cancer treatment may need to avoid aspirin, information about aspirin use was not collected until at least one year after breast cancer diagnosis.

Compared with women who reported no aspirin use, risk of breast cancer death was reduced by 71% among women who used aspirin 2-5 times per week and by 64% among women who used aspirin 6-7 days per week. Risk of distant recurrence was also reduced among aspirin users.
The effect of aspirin on risk of distant recurrence and death did not appear to vary by cancer stage, menopausal status, body mass index, or estrogen receptor status.

These results suggest that among women living at least one year after a breast cancer diagnosis, regular aspirin use may reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and death. However, there are significant limitations of the study and aspirin should not be considered a standard treatment to prevent breast cancer recurrence. In addition, there are risks associated with regular aspirin use. Women with a history of breast cancer should talk to their doctors if they have further questions.

Reference: Holmes MD, Chen WY, Li L et al. Aspirin intake and survival after breast cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology [early online publication]. February 16, 2010.

T

Husband11 · February 2010

Springtime, that webmd article you refer to saying the low dose wasn't effective has to be different data or analysis. Its almost 2 years old.

HappyTrisha · February 2010

I'm another person who doesn't need a gold-engraved invitation to the dance or a GPA system explaining how to get there. I will absolutely "risk" taking the aspirin. Hell, I put myself in a clinical trial without any guarantees of success or any promises about what might happen to me in the future as a result of the drugs I was taking. I sure as shootin' am going to get on the aspirin bandwagon!!! I'd like to hang around and debate this with anyone out there who thinks it's important to wait for double blind studies, etc., but unfortunately I have a date with the aspirin aisle in my drugstore!

Laughing

Makratz · February 2010

I'm with you HappyTricia!

suemed8749 · February 2010

Exactly my feeling, Trisha and Makraz. Love the "gold-plated invitation" analogy - hey, I'll sneak into the gym through the girls' locker room if I have to to get into the sock hop. I started the Nerantinib trial last month - like you, no guarantees or promises. I take six of those little rascals every night, so adding an aspirin is no problem (can't forget my calcium and Vitamin D).

Sugar77 · February 2010

Does anyone know if it's the low dose ones or the regular kind that are supposed to help? And how often, one every day or every other day???

Husband11 · February 2010

Sugar77 wrote: Does anyone know if it's the low dose ones or the regular kind that are supposed to help? And how often, one every day or every other day???

While articles making commentary on the recent Journal that is causing all this buzz, make reference to low dose aspirin, the reality is that when the data was collected from 1976 onwards, there was no collection of data as to dosage, only frequency. Never, one a week, 2-5 times a week, 6-7 times a week. We can only speculate as to what the nurses in the study were takign when they checked off options of 2-5 or 6-7 times a week in the questionaire. My quess is that many were taking 325mg dose or more, as we do have answers as to why they were taking it. 35% said it was for prevention of heart disease, the rest were using it for analgesic (pain killing) properties. And I don't think the average person taking aspirin for a headache, backache or joint and muscle pain take 81 mg baby aspririns. They would take 325 mg or more at a time. So some likely took 325mg several times a week, and some took low dose 81 mg for prevention of heart disease. All appear to get significant benefit.

Springtime · February 2010

Timothy, all good points.

Mandy1313 · February 2010

After my chemo, my internist put me on two low dose aspirin a day to reduce inflammation--more if I can stand it. So I am already on this band wagon, so to speak--just don't know whether to up my dose a bit. There does not seem to be anything to lose by trying aspirin. Just wish there was a little more information about dosage.

ananda8 · February 2010

( Amy,

The study was about recurrence not prevention. There has been no indication that aspirin prevents initial breast cancer. )

I think there is a lot of opportunity to further investigate aspirin.

I have been taking 325 mg daily for years. I started when my husbands cardiologist said that 325 mg was more effective than 81 mg in preventing heart disease. He has had 4 cardiologist over the years and 3 out of the 4 recommended 325mg plus Plavix to prevent further heart disease. So far it has worked for him.

I think they may find that the protective attributes of aspirin have a very large dosing range and relates to the ability of the individual to tolerate and metabolize aspirin.

Springtime · February 2010

NotSelf, Is 325 mg daily, One aspirin, or two per day? Thx.

Anonymous · February 2010

Well Rite-Aide has them on sale, the 81 mg, so I was all ready to jump on the bandwagon. But I already take Tylenol and Tylenol PM for joint pain. Would I stop taking those and would 81 mg then be enough? The box did say that it would not give relief any where nearly as quickly (which is already not quick enough) as other pain relievers.

What actually stopped me from buying it was several, not one or two, but several, warnings on the box to check with your doctor before taking them as part of a regular regimen. I'm guessing because of potential contraindications with other meds? So please, be careful.

I would ask my med onc when I see him in a couple of months but he's been pretty clueless up to now - it's like I'm teaching him. Actually I'm thinking now that maybe he's just playing dumb? I would think that he's been at it long enough, he should have heard all the questions.

ananda8 · February 2010

Springtime,

I take one 325mg once per day. The aspirin is coated and cutting it in half would make the coating ineffective. I may go down to 81 mg to see how I feel on that because I am also taking turmeric which acts as an anti-inflammatory. I have no idea if I am taking too much anti-inflammatories. However, I do wonder if my use of aspirin and turmeric along with 4000 IU of Vitamin D is why I have never had problems with bone and muscle pain on Arimidex,

ananda8 · February 2010

Patoo,

You have as much to worry about by taking Tylenol as aspirin. Long term use of Tylenol can cause liver damage.

"Potential For Liver / Kidney Toxicity: Despite universal acceptance, references have been reported of potential liver and kidney toxicity. These warning reports should alert all users of Tylenol, particularly those who chronically use maximum doses of the drug, to these serious risk factors. Fortunately, patient awareness and routine liver and kidney profile testing will discover any organ abnormality." http://arthritis.about.com/od/arthqa/f/tylenol.htm

It is surprisingly easy to take too much Tylenol since acetaminophen is in many other OTC medications. Please read your labels and do your research. There are several class action law suits going by people who were damaged my acetaminophen.

somanywomen · February 2010

notself, I just started Arimidex about 6 weeks ago, do not know when to expect se's... take tumeric/pepper along with coated 81mg aspirin morn and night along with 5000 vit D and a bone supplement..I try to follow a anti-cancer diet and so far no aches no se's..

Does anyone know when se's usually start after arimidex?

ananda8 · February 2010

somanywomen,

From my experience (24 months), the first SE to appear is hot flashes. I had bad hot flashes when I went through menopause. For me the Arimidex hot flashes were more like warm flashes. Laughing

I had some mild joint pain, but the turmeric, aspirin, and Vitamin D took care of that.

I had terrible hair loss which I thought was related to Arimidex but when I got my Vitamin D level up the hair loss stopped.

I get a bone scan once a year to check for osteoporosis. I have not had any bone loss.

Everyone who has SEs gets them at different times and severity. Some do not get any SE's. May you be one of these.

Springtime · February 2010

SomanyWomen, I think the AI bone/joint pain symptoms take longer to appear. a month or two maybe? I am on Tamoxifen for now, so don't have personal experience.

NotSelf, good to hear that your vitamins and supplements took care of things. Gives me hope.

Harley44 · February 2010

ok... just found this thread...

I'm kind of confused, because from what I read in the previous posts, Otter, I think mentioned that... and it's purely speculation, that maybe aspirin and NSAIDs decrease estrodial levels...

but... a friend mentioned that 'aspirin' seems to help prevent bc recurrence for only TRIPLE NEGATIVE bc....

so this is confusing....

Harley

Husband11 · February 2010

Harley44 wrote: but... a friend mentioned that 'aspirin' seems to help prevent bc recurrence for only TRIPLE NEGATIVE bc....

so this is confusing....

Harley

I write: Not according to this latest report. It helped reduce recurrance in all stages, grades and hormone status. Make sure you read the latest report that is getting all the media attention. Its available online.

Tim

Husband11 · February 2010

Aspirin Intake and Survival After Breast Cancer

Michelle D. Holmes,^* Wendy Y. Chen, Lisa Li, Ellen Hertzmark, Donna Spiegelman, and Susan E. Hankinson

From the Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: michelle.holmes@channing.harvard.edu

Purpose: Animal and in vitro studies suggest that aspirin mayinhibit breast cancer metastasis. We studied whether aspirinuse among women with breast cancer decreased their risk of deathfrom breast cancer.

Methods: This was a prospective observationalstudy based on responses from 4,164 female registered nursesin the Nurses' Health Study who were diagnosed with stages I,II, or III breast cancer between 1976 and 2002 and were observeduntil death or June 2006, whichever came first. The main outcomewas breast cancer mortality risk according to number of daysper week of aspirin use (0, 1, 2 to 5, or 6 to 7 days) firstassessed at least 12 months after diagnosis and updated.

Results:There were 341 breast cancer deaths. Aspirin use was associatedwith a decreased risk of breast cancer death. The adjusted relativerisks (RRs) for 1, 2 to 5, and 6 to 7 days of aspirin use perweek compared with no use were 1.07 (95% CI, 0.70 to 1.63),0.29 (95% CI, 0.16 to 0.52), and 0.36 (95% CI, 0.24 to 0.54),respectively (test for linear trend, P < .001). This associationdid not differ appreciably by stage, menopausal status, bodymass index, or estrogen receptor status. Results were similarfor distant recurrence. The adjusted RRs were 0.91 (95% CI,0.62 to 1.33), 0.40 (95% CI, 0.24 to 0.65), and 0.57 (95% CI,0.39 to 0.82; test for trend, P = .03) for 1, 2 to 5, and 6to 7 days of aspirin use, respectively.

Conclusion: Among womenliving at least 1 year after a breast cancer diagnosis, aspirinuse was associated with a decreased risk of distant recurrenceand breast cancer death.

Harley44 · February 2010

Gee I'm sorry but I haven't read all that yet. I prefer to wait til the studies are in and they really know what they are talking about. All this is really just speculation, since it was done on surveys sent out to people...

My onc would probably say "...maybe...." and that would be the end of it.

Harley

Sugar77 · February 2010

Interesting...on Dr. Oz today, he says people over 40 should take 2 low dose aspirins a day for heart health. He's a heart surgeon so I found that very interesting.

Sherri

Anonymous · February 2010

Sugar77, I think that has been known for a long time but the speculation that it decreases bc recurrence is new.

JO (twin), thanks for the drug interaction website.

Notself, also to you, thanks for the info on Tylenol.

< sigh > - so much information but I'm not really surprised. We all know that one day they say one thing and come back in a few weeks and it's 90 degrees in a different direction (don't take that literally). Makes my head spin. My doc would say the same as JO and Harley's - "Uhhhh, perhaps"! or "I haven't heard that one".

My last bloodwork returned Vit D levels in the normal range, plus I take it in a supplement. Actually, though I don't think my hip pain is a se of Arimidex because I had hip problems wayyyyyyy before BC.

Maybe I'll drop the tylenol and just do the aspirin. No, I'll wait until next PCP visit.

Sugar77 · February 2010

Patoo - yes, I'm aware it's been touted to help with heart disease because my mother has been taking one low dose aspirin a day since having a heart attack in 1992. That said, I found it interesting that Dr. Oz said to to two low dose a day for everyone over 40. Even though my mom's been on it for years, I'm 45 and have never thought to take it myself. I'm going to start taking after I'm done radiation.

ananda8 · February 2010

I just re-read my post about my husband's use of aspirin to prevent heart disease. I must have been tired because I misspoke myself. My husband takes 325 mg aspirin as well as Plavix because the combination helps keep not only his arteries from forming clots, but it keeps his 5 stents clear. This prevents him from having another heart attack.

I guess that is almost the same as preventing heart disease. Wink

Patoo,

Your doctor may suggest that you stay on Tylenol if it works for you. In that case, have blood tests for your liver function every six months. You may be one of the people that tolerates it. But do watch out for taking more acetaminophen in cold remedies and other types of pain medication.

asprin reduces breast cancer

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I found this article on Caring4Cancer~

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