According to research, consuming aspirin on a regular basis can considerably reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer in women who are predisposed to the disease. This includes people with a family history of ovarian cancer and those who carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, also known as the ‘Angelina Jolie gene.’
Aspirin is thought to function by inhibiting particular cancer-causing proteins and lowering inflammation, both of which play important roles in the development of ovarian cancer. Dr. Britton Trabert of the University of Utah is the lead author of the study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. She emphasised that ovarian cancer is the most deadly gynecologic malignancy. He emphasised that most recognised risk factors, such as family history, genetic mutations, and endometriosis, cannot be changed.
The researchers regarded their findings as “promising” and a “actionable step” for high-risk patients. According to Trabert, using aspirin on a daily or virtually daily basis reduced the incidence of ovarian cancer by 13%, benefiting the majority of subgroups. This study lends support to the notion that taking aspirin on a regular basis could act as a preventive intervention for those in higher risk categories.
A Harvard University research of over 200,000 women discovered that a daily modest dose of 75mg aspirin reduced ovarian cancer cases by approximately 25%. Individual trials have yet to demonstrate if the medicine improves people at different risk levels.
“We combined data from 17 research: nine prospective cohort studies from the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium and eight case control studies from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium, totaling more than 8,300 cases. “This gave us a more detailed and accurate look than if we had used published data,” Trabert explained.
They were classified by particular risk factors such as a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, endometriosis (womb tissue growth around the ovaries), obesity, pregnancy, oral contraceptive use, and sterilisation (tying the fallopian tubes). Trabet added, “Aspirin use has been associated to serious adverse outcomes, including internal bleeding and stroke. We wanted to see if aspirin could help people at higher risk of ovarian cancer.
“Because aspirin helped persons with two or more risk factors, we hope that patients and clinicians can utilise this study to have an informed discourse about appropriate preventive interventions. Individuals should consult their health care providers before starting a new medicine to ensure that any potential dangers are suitably balanced against the potential benefits.” Her study focuses on developing ways for preventing and early detection of ovarian and womb cancer.
She received a Department of Defence Investigator-Initiated Research Award for her research on aspirin use and lower ovarian cancer incidence. Angelina Jolie had her breasts and ovaries removed after discovering she has a defective copy of the BRCA1 gene. Ovarian cancer is referred to as ‘the silent killer’. There are seldom distinguishing symptoms until the disease progresses.
Nine out of ten women with early-stage ovarian cancer survive, compared to one out of ten if diagnosed later – one of the highest death rates of any cancer. Swift diagnosis is essential. Currently, only about one-third of women are detected early, with the majority diagnosed later on.
Aspirin has been used as a pain reliever for thousands of years, since the Ancient Egyptians discovered that an extract of willow bark helped mothers cope with childbirth. However, in recent years, scientists discovered a cheap medicine, frequently prescribed by doctors in lower dosages to avoid heart problems, that prevents platelets in the blood from clumping together to form clots.
Low-dose aspirin has been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of colon cancer. Experts recommend that consumers contact with their doctor before beginning to use any medication. Aspirin is a blood thinner. It carries the danger of internal bleeding, especially in patients with certain disorders such an irregular heart rhythm. In rare cases, it can induce stomach bleeding and ulcers that require hospitalisation, as well as a stroke or a life-threatening haemorrhage.
