Aspirin and Vitamin E Dont Reduce Cancer Risk
July 8, 2005
Aspirin and Vitamin E Don't Reduce Cancer Risk
Neither vitamin E nor low doses of aspirin reduce the risk of developing or dying from cancer, reported a study of almost 40,000 women, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This is the longest and largest study to date that examines the effects of taking vitamin E, aspirin or a placebo.
The study, entitled the Women's Health Study (WHS), included 39,876 apparently healthy women aged 45 years and older. Each woman randomly received aspirin (100 milligrams) or placebo, and Vitamin E (600 International Units) or placebo. Subjects were followed for an average of 10.1 years.
The WHS results contradicted previous findings from smaller studies that suggested aspirin may protect against developing colon cancer or breast cancer. However, the WHS did find a "trend toward reduction in risk" of developing or dying from lung cancer in women who took aspirin.
Three previous trials found a reduced risk of precancerous polyps in women taking 81-325 milligrams of aspirin (compared with placebo). The discrepancy between study results suggests the need for a further trial, according to Charles Fuchs of Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, as reported in USA Today on 5 July.
The study found no significant link between vitamin E and cancer-risk reduction. However, the researchers did find an approximately 25% reduction in strokes, heart attacks and deaths due to cardiovascular causes in women aged 65 years and older.
Analysis of the WHS data by age has proven significant: in March, WHS scientists reported that vitamin E provided no cardiovascular benefit to study participants overall. Also in March, WHS researchers reported that aspirin offered protection against heart attacks only among women ages 65 years and older.
Sources:
Low-Dose
Aspirin in the Primary Prevention of Cancer, Cook et al.,
JAMA, 294:47-55, 2005.
Vitamin E in
the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer,
Lee et al., JAMA 294:56-65, 2005.
Aspirin, vitamin E fail in cancer prevention, USA Today, 5 July
2005.
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