Arthritis Drug May Cut Breast Cancer Risk

Regular use of selective COX-2 inhibitors significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer, according to researchers at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health in Columbus. COX-2 inhibitors are a class of drugs that selectively inhibit COX-2, an enzyme involved in the inflammation pathway. Vioxx, a brand of COX-2 inhibitor was recently withdrawn from the market after Merck, the drug's manufacturer, reported findings of increased risk of heart attack and stroke among participants in an ongoing clinical trial. Other studies revealed COX-2 inhibitors cause no increased risk of cardiovascular events. Randall Harris, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health compared data collected from 323 patients with invasive breast cancer to 649 control individuals with no personal history of cancer. Data collected from each group included information on breast cancer risk factors and the use of selective COX-2 inhibitors and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Researchers found the daily use of the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex) is associated with an 83-percent reduction in the risk of breast cancer. They also found the daily use of the selective COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib (Vioxx) is associated with a 64-percent reduction in the risk of breast cancer. Study participants regularly using non-selective COX-2 inhibitors, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, also showed a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer. Study authors say aspirin and ibuprofen significantly decrease the risk of developing breast cancer when taken at least every other day for at least five years.