Aspirin reduces the risk of breast cancer - or does it?
Many press and internet reports recently have highlighted what seems to be a link between taking low dose aspirin every day and a lower rate of the development of some kinds of breast cancer.
Most of the research has looked at the risk for developing estrogen receptor positive breast cancer - and this is only one type of breast cancer - the other types might or might not be influenced by taking regular aspirin.
The scientists who looked at this question showed that the chance of developing oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer was significantly reduced by about 16% in people who took a low dose of aspirin daily, but was not reduced for those women who happened to take other anti-inflammatory drugs. Previous authors had thought that it might be an effect on inflammation that was important but this study seems to go against that - suggesting that it's something to do with aspirin itself and not simply the drugs anti -inflammation properties.
Most experts think that the 16% reduction in risk is modest and the fact that the reduction in risk was shown for one subtype of breast cancer and for one dose of a single drug type - aspirin - suggests that further research is required. They also point out other studies that have shown conflicting results, with the implication that it is too soon to be suggesting that taking aspirin could be a way of reducing risk of breast cancer.
It's also important not to forget that a regular daily use of aspirin does carry its own risk. It can cause irritation to the stomach lining and increased risk of bleeding and ulceration - with elderly patients often most sensitive to this.
• With the current level of evidence, it seems inadvisable for women to start taking these drugs on a daily basis purely in the hope that it will reduce their risk of breast cancer.
• For an important disease such as this, which has such far reaching personal and public health implications, it appears yet more research is required.
Gordon Cameron is a physician in Edinburgh Scotland. He has a special interest in breast cancer symptoms
