Selective usage of COX-2 inhibitors like rofecoxib (Vioxx) and celecoxib (Celebrex) reduces breast cancer risk by 71%, according to a study. The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health's Randall Harris led the research which came to this conclusion. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play a prominent role in the prevention of breast cancer.
The researchers observed that while daily use of selective COX-2 inhibitors was associated with a 71% reduction in the risk of breast cancer, non-selective COX-2 inhibitors, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, also reduced the risk of breast cancer. The study's results show that selective COX-2 inhibitors, as a group, were associated with a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer when taken daily for at least two years.While a daily dose of 200 mg celecoxib reduced the risk of breast cancer by 83%, a daily dose of 25 mg rofecoxib reduced the risk of breast cancer by 64%. Regular use of non-selective COX-2 inhibitors like aspirin (325 mg), ibuprofen (200mg) and naproxen (250 mg) also significantly reduced the risk of breast cancer, but less so than the regular intake of selective COX-2 inhibitors. It was found that Ibuprofen and aspirin significantly decreased the risk of developing breast cancer when taken at least every other day for at least five years.
However, the researchers also found that regular intake of acetaminophen, an analgesic lacking COX-2 activity, had no effect on the risk of breast cancer. The study is published in the open access journal BMC Cancer.
Edited (ANI)
