Common drugs could lower risk.

New research shows that the regular use of aspirin or ibuprofen may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Earlier studies suggested that aspirin might reduce the risk of colon cancer, and several clinical trials currently are testing those findings. An Ohio State University study is among the first to examine whether aspirin, ibuprofen, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can reduce breast cancer risk.

We found that women who take these compounds at least once every other day for five years or more reduce their risk of breast cancer by 40%, compared to women not taking the drugs," notes Randall Harris, director of cancer control and prevention at Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute. The case-control study looked at the use of aspirin and ibuprofen by 303 breast cancer patients who were diagnosed and treated at The...