COX-2 blockers may curb breast cancer risk

More on Cox 2s re various posts and in paricular ability to influence potential production of COX 2s by balaancing omega three and omega six intake, and omega sixes are the percusors of COX 2s.


RB




http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/news...archived=False

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The regular use of certain COX-2 inhibitors and other NSAIDs apparently leads to a significant reduction in breast cancer risk, researchers report in the journal BMC Cancer.

Dr. Randall Harris and colleagues at the Ohio State College of Medicine and Public Health in Columbus studied 323 breast cancer patients and 649 cancer-free controls.

"We observed a 71 percent reduction in the risk of breast cancer with the use of selective COX-2 inhibitors, such as Celebrex and Vioxx, for 2 years or more," Harris told Reuters Health.

"Significant reductions," he added, "were also observed for ibuprofen and regular -- 325 mg -- aspirin, but of lesser magnitude."

"We suggest that these effects were produced by inhibition of COX-2, the rate limiting enzyme of the prostaglandin cascade," Harris said. In support of this, no significant change in breast cancer risk was seen with acetaminophen, which has negligible COX-2 activity, or with low-dose (81 mg) aspirin.

"Our results," said Harris, "underscore the major role of COX-2 overexpression in mammary carcinogenesis and the potential for chemoprevention and quite possibly therapy with selective COX-2 blocking agents."

"Since COX-2 inhibitors may also reduce the risk of other cancers and influence the cardiovascular system as well," he concluded, "additional clinical studies focused on dosage and duration are needed in order to clarify how they might be used with the greatest beneficence."

SOURCE: BMC Cancer 2006.

[DeborahNC]

RB,

I appreciate all the information and links you provide. Just wanted you to know ;-)

Deborah

[saleboat]

Thanks for sending this. I was prescribed Celebrex by an Onc who is now in private practice, but formerly of Sloan-Kettering for this reason. He said that tumeric (or is it cucermin?) works in the same way, and I may go that route given how difficult it has been to get Celebrex covered by my health plan. I've not been good about taking the Celebrex, so this will get the discipline back in my pill-popping program!

I know that MD Anderson has been studying this as well, but with tumeric/cucermin.

Jen

If you search under curcumin / turmeric on this site you will find posts and links to trials on curcumin re BC and as an anti inflamatory.

You can take it refined or as haldi tumeric powder which is possibly cheaper.

Rupali or Sarah Dahlton I think advised us that it should not be taken alone, but with food as it can burn a hole in the stomach lining. I have not had time to research this further.

I am currently looking out for foods herbs etc that are reported act as anti inflamatories and will post a list when I have time. I am looking at books on all the inflamatory diseases to try and get a vague idea as to common areas etc. There seems to be general accord that all the inflamatory disease do have a certain base communality eg, gum disease, and heart problems, vascular issues, joint pains ( in part poor circulation) etc.

Thanks for the note of thanks it is very much appreciated. I am looking at the subject for my own interest and posting and checking out the responses helps raise new issues, and I often end up clarifying quesions I had, thisngs I dont understand, things I have got wrong etc., and it makes for more interesting "research".


RB