Health News
By Deb Kirkland, RN, BSN, MPH
Nurse Navigator, Herman & Walter Samuelson Breast Center at Northwest Hospital
A study conducted at Brigham and Women?s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, ?Aspirin Intake and Survival After Breast Cancer,? suggests there is an associated decreased risk of distant recurrence of breast cancer and breast cancer death in women who were taking aspirin. The study results were published February 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The 4,164 subjects were breast cancer survivors participating in the Nurses? Health Study (NHS); these women were from all over the U.S., diagnosed with stage I to III breast cancer between 1976 and 2002, and were followed until June 2006 (or their death, whichever came first).
What can we conclude from this study? Women who took a simple baby aspirin 2 to 5 days per week had a 60 percent risk reduction of their cancer spreading distally and a 71 percent reduced risk of breast cancer death. Women who took aspirin 6 to 7 times per week lowered the risk of distal recurrence by 43 percent and had reduced risk of breast cancer death by 64 percent. Overall, these women taking aspirin had a 50 percent reduced risk of distal recurrence and 50 percent reduced risk in breast cancer death.
This was an observational study, which means it suggests a relationship, but is not designed to prove a cause and effect link. What we do know is that there is an association present between aspirin and a lower risk of recurrence or death. It is believed the aspirin?s anti-inflammatory properties are what contribute to the benefit.
What does this mean if you have had breast cancer? It's important to remember that in the study, the women started aspirin one year post-diagnosis. Aspirin is not indicated for patients currently undergoing chemotherapy or radiation. Women need to be aware there is associated risk involved with taking aspirin, such as bleeding and stomach problems, such as ulcers.
However, if you are a breast cancer survivor and you are taking aspirin for protective cardiac measures, there may be a benefit in reducing breast cancer recurrence. Data suggest further studies, such as clinical trials that include aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs, are needed to discover if there is a direct cause and effect link. Currently, there are various studies with the use of COX 2-inhibitors and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in breast cancer. Studies have indicated these anti-inflammatory drugs may also reduce the risk of colon cancer.
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Health News
The Benefits of Aspirin After Breast Cancer
By Deb Kirkland, RN, BSN, MPH
Nurse Navigator, Herman & Walter Samuelson Breast Center at Northwest Hospital
A study conducted at Brigham and Women?s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, ?Aspirin Intake and Survival After Breast Cancer,? suggests there is an associated decreased risk of distant recurrence of breast cancer and breast cancer death in women who were taking aspirin. The study results were published February 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The 4,164 subjects were breast cancer survivors participating in the Nurses? Health Study (NHS); these women were from all over the U.S., diagnosed with stage I to III breast cancer between 1976 and 2002, and were followed until June 2006 (or their death, whichever came first).
What can we conclude from this study? Women who took a simple baby aspirin 2 to 5 days per week had a 60 percent risk reduction of their cancer spreading distally and a 71 percent reduced risk of breast cancer death. Women who took aspirin 6 to 7 times per week lowered the risk of distal recurrence by 43 percent and had reduced risk of breast cancer death by 64 percent. Overall, these women taking aspirin had a 50 percent reduced risk of distal recurrence and 50 percent reduced risk in breast cancer death.
This was an observational study, which means it suggests a relationship, but is not designed to prove a cause and effect link. What we do know is that there is an association present between aspirin and a lower risk of recurrence or death. It is believed the aspirin?s anti-inflammatory properties are what contribute to the benefit.
What does this mean if you have had breast cancer? It's important to remember that in the study, the women started aspirin one year post-diagnosis. Aspirin is not indicated for patients currently undergoing chemotherapy or radiation. Women need to be aware there is associated risk involved with taking aspirin, such as bleeding and stomach problems, such as ulcers.
However, if you are a breast cancer survivor and you are taking aspirin for protective cardiac measures, there may be a benefit in reducing breast cancer recurrence. Data suggest further studies, such as clinical trials that include aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs, are needed to discover if there is a direct cause and effect link. Currently, there are various studies with the use of COX 2-inhibitors and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in breast cancer. Studies have indicated these anti-inflammatory drugs may also reduce the risk of colon cancer.
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Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2, the genes most commonly involved in breast cancer, have up to an 80 percent chance of getting the disease.October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although Kentucky's breast cancer rate is slightly lower than the nationwide...
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by Holly Hosler To learn about the latest research on treatments for breast cancer, a group of 25 LifeBridge Health doctors, nurses and technicians joined over 675 others around the country for the Living Beyond Breast Cancer?s San Antonio Breast Cancer...
- Breast Cancer Screening Offered
If you're a woman, mark your calender for Wednesday, October 7. That's when we're inviting you to join us for an evening of frank and honest discussion about women?s breast health hosted by WJZ-TV 13 news anchor Mary Bubala. Clinical breast...
- Genes And Breast Cancer
By Deb Kirkland, RN, BSN, MPH Nurse Navigator, Herman & Walter Samuelson Breast Center at Northwest Hospital Cancer is caused by mutations in our genes. Sometimes our body can repair these changes, but other times it cannot. About 90 percent of cancers...