NSAID use and breast cancer risk in the VITAL cohort

• Published in: Breast cancer research and treatment Vol. 109; no. 3; pp. 533 - 543
• Main Authors: Ready, Ann, Velicer, Christine M., McTiernan, Anne, White, Emily
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.06.2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; Cancer research; Cohort Studies; Drug therapy; Epidemiology; Estrogen Replacement Therapy - adverse effects; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Multivariate Analysis; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Oncology; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Tumors; Aspirin; Breast cancer; NSAIDs; Ibuprofen; Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase; Breast disease; Enzyme; Enzyme inhibitor; Malignant tumor; Acetylsalicylic acid; Antiplatelet agent; Non steroidal antiinflammatory agent; Mammary gland diseases; Cohort study; Risk factor; Arylpropionic acid derivatives; Oxidoreductases; Salicylates; Public health; Cancer
• ISSN: 0167-6806; 1573-7217
• DOI: 10.1007/s10549-007-9665-x

Objective We prospectively evaluated the association between average 10-year use of NSAIDs and invasive breast cancer. Methods Between 2000–2002, 35,323 postmenopausal women participating in the Vitamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) study provided detailed information regarding NSAID use, lifestyle and breast cancer risk factors. Using a Cox proportional hazards model, we analyzed associations between NSAID use and incident breast cancer ( N  = 482) ascertained through linkage to the SEER cancer registry. Results Use of low-dose aspirin at 4+ days/week over ten years was associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer (HR 0.65, confidence interval [CI] 0.43–0.97) versus no use, as was moderate use of other types of NSAIDs (HR 0.78, CI 0.61–0.98) for 10-yr average use up to 3 days/week. However, more frequent use of NSAIDs other than low–dose aspirin was associated with an increased risk (HR 1.26, CI 0.96–1.65), particularly frequent use of regular or extra strength aspirin (HR 1.43, CI 1.02–2.00). Conclusions We did not find evidence of a global protective effect of NSAID use for the development of breast cancer. However, long-term moderate use (frequent use of low doses or moderate frequency of high doses) was associated with reduced risk, while frequent use of higher dose products was associated with increased risk.