Washington: Using ibuprofen or aspirin can decrease chances of breast cancer in women by nearly 50 per cent, according to an Ohio State University sponsored study.

Authored by Randall Harris, co-director of the Centre of Molecular Epidemiology and Environmental Health at Ohio State University, the study says the use of ibuprofen or aspirin – both non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAID) – on a regular basis can reduce breast cancer risk.

It, however, mentioned that ibuprofen would have to be used regularly for over 10 years to ensure a 50 per cent decrease of breast cancer in a woman, while using aspirin could reduce breast cancer risk by about 22 per cent.

"This translates into an approximately 30 per cent reduction for all NSAID users and a 50 per cent reduction in risk among ibuprofen users," Harris said in the study, the findings of which were reported at the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) on July 13.

Harris said he and his colleagues used data collected from a survey of nearly 81,000 women over a period of four years to determine what effect NSAIDs had on decreasing breast cancer.

These women were participating in the Women's Health Initiative, an ongoing nationwide study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that looks at a variety of women's health issues, he added.

"We're discovering that these compounds – NSAIDs – aren't just for pain and inflammation relief. This study shows these drugs also have significant anti-cancer effects," said Harris, who is also the co- principal investigator of the Women's Health Initiative clinical centre at Ohio.

The NSAIDs tested included over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin. At the outset, 80,741 post-menopausal women aged between 50 to 79, were asked how often and for how long they had used NSAIDs. They were selected because they had no personal history of cancer.

A series of questions such as how often they (women) exercised, their body mass, if they had ever given birth, if they were on oestrogen therapy and if they had family history of cancer, helped the researchers to evaluate risks of developing breast cancer. The women were placed into two groups – those who took NSAIDs regularly , i.e., two or more tablets a week – and those who seldom or never took NSAIDs.

During the four-year-long study, 1,392 women or 1.7 percent of those enrolled in the study developed breast cancer. Women who regularly took NSAIDs for five to nine years had a 21 per cent reduction in the incidence of breast cancer. Women taking these drugs on a regular basis for 10 or more years had a 28 per cent reduction in the risk of developing the disease.

It wasn't until the researchers separated these women further into groups based on the type of NSAID they took that the effect of ibuprofen or aspirin became clear.

Harris believes that NSAIDs – particularly ibuprofen – have such a powerful effect because of their ability to block the inflammatory process. Scientists believe these drugs block the gene responsible for triggering inflammation in the body.

These drugs may have side effects in a small percentage of people, the most common being an upset stomach, said Harris, adding that "if you're going to be a regular ibuprofen or aspirin user, tell your physician."

ANI