An Aspirin a Day Keeps the Doctor Away, In Terms of Reducing Ovarian Cancer Risk by 13% for Women

Ovarian cancer is a deadly malignant tumor and responsible for a number of women deaths worldwide, due to challenges faced by the medical industry when it comes to early detection and treatment. Known as the "silent killer" cancer, it has been reported to be the deadliest cancer affecting the reproductive organ of women.

However, a new study based in the United States claims that the acetylsalicylic acid medication commonly known as aspirin is capable of reducing the risk of ovarian cancer development for high-risk women, especially those with family history and those carrying a particular gene which makes them vulnerable.

The new research found that an aspirin daily dosage has reduced the chances of such cancerous development. This is due to the fact that the painkiller is believe to be capable of blocking proteins that trigger cancer. It also mitigates inflammation, which serve as an aggravating factor for ovarian cancer growth.

US health authorities consider ovarian cancer to be one of the main causes of deaths among women worldwide. At this time, there is still no cure for the gynecologic cancer. However, early detection and diagnosis of the condition has been strongly recommended ever since.

High-Risk Women

(Photo : Photo by AIZAR RALDES/AFP via Getty Images)

In the study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on July 22, a research team from the University of Utah place emphasis that the said medication could protect high-risk women from the silent killer cancer. The team considered their discovery as a stepping stone towards its potential treatment.

Based on their findings, aspirin used daily or almost daily was linked to a 13% reduction against ovarian cancer risk. This comes after the team referenced a previous Harvard University analysis in 2018 involving over 200,000 women who took the pill.

However, the University of Utah research claims that individual studies have overlooked if whether the drug benefits high-risk women. These studies were derived from the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium and the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium; where they extracted 17 studies and more than 8,300 cases.

Also Read: Night Shifts may up Ovarian Cancer Risk in Women

Aspirin Daily Dosage

A university release by the University of Utah on Tuesday, July 26, confirms the said findings and emphasized frequent aspirin use helps individuals with multiple risk factors.

According to Britton Trabert, an investigator for the Cancer Control and Population Science Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, they are hoping patients and clinicians can use their research as a basis for potential preventive measures.

One of the key authors of the study, Trabert still urged individuals to consult their care providers before engaging in new medication.

Trabert is also a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Utah's School of Medicine.

The Silent Killer

In the US alone, the American Cancer Society predicts almost 20,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, while nearly 13,000 will die from it this year.

The organization also adds around 50% of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are aged 63 years or older. It is ranked fifth in terms of cancer deaths among women.