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NSAIDs associated with reduced breast cancer incidence in black women

Bosco JL. Cancer Causes Control. 2011;doi:10.1007/s10552-011-9832-6.

Issue: October 10, 2011

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The use of aspirin or acetaminophen significantly reduced the risk for breast cancer in black women, and patients who were not long-term users appeared to benefit, according to researchers.

The results come from a biennial analysis of the Black Women’s Health Study, a prospective cohort study of 59,000 participants aged 21 to 69 years that began in 1995. Researchers observed 1,275 breast cancer diagnoses during 558,600 person-years of follow-up through 2007. The final cohort consisted of 53,151 women.

There were 45,887 (86.3%) women at baseline who did not use any NSAIDs, 7,988 (15%) using acetaminophen, 5,427 (10.2%) using aspirin and 2,257 (4.2%) using other NSAIDs. Among aspirin users, 7.1% also reported using other NSAIDs and 52.3% reported using acetaminophen.

Compared with nonusers of aspirin or other NSAIDs, regular users of aspirin, other NSAIDs and acetaminophen tended to be older, less educated, heavier, less physically active, more likely to use female hormones, more likely to smoke and had experienced more cardiovascular disease.

Multivariable incident rate ratio (mIRR) for the association between current aspirin use at baseline and incident breast cancer was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.75-1.07). Results were similar between current users of other NSAIDs (mIRR=0.87; 95% CI, 0.67-1.13) and current users of acetaminophen (mIRR=0.90; 95% CI, 0.76-1.07).

The mIRR for patients who used aspirin for 5 years or more was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.58-1.05). For those who used acetaminophen for at least 5 years, mIRR equaled 0.87 (95% CI, 0.67-1.12).

Researchers said the results did not change significantly when comparing current aspirin or acetaminophen with no aspirin, other NSAIDs or acetaminophen use.

Earn CME this spring at the HemOnc Today Breast Cancer Review & Perspective meeting to be held March 23-24, 2012 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. See details at HemOncTodayBreastCancer.com.

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