Anti-inflammatories cut Oral Cancer Risk
Reported April 19, 2005
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Smokers may want to take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Researchers from the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo say taking drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen protects smokers from developing oral cancer.
Researchers analyzed data on 908 people, half of whom had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. They found people who were light to moderate tobacco smokers had a 65-percent lower risk of developing oral cancer if they took NSAIDs over an extended period of time.
Researchers say, “The results of a significant reduction in oral cancer risk — particularly in light to moderate active smokers — suggest that NSAID use may provide anti-carcinogenetic effect while the smokers are subjecting themselves to tobacco insult.”
Researchers considered the use of six NSAIDs — aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, piroxicam and ketoprofen — all of which were effective at reducing the rate of oral cancer. However, acetaminophen, a non-aspirin pain relief medication, was found ineffective at this reduction.
SOURCE: The 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, Calif., April 16-20, 2005
