08 Jul Aspirin and Ibuprofen May Reduce Bowel Cancer Risk in Lynch Syndrome

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Aung Ko Win, MBBS MPH PhD
Research Fellow
NHMRC Early Career Clinical Research Fellow
Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
The University of Melbourne VIC 3010
Australia

Medical Research: What is the background for this study?

Response: At least 1 in 1,000 people in the population have a mutation in one of the mismatch repair genes that causes Lynch syndrome. These people have a very high risk of bowel cancer (colorectal cancer): if nothing is done, about half would develop the disease. The main risk reduction method for these people is to have regular colonoscopy screening every year. Almost nothing is known whether or not lifestyle factors and medications can modify the risk of bowel cancer for people with Lynch syndrome.

A study was conducted to investigate the associations between aspirin and ibuprofen intake and the risk of bowel cancer, by studying 1,858 people with Lynch syndrome who were recruited into the Colon Cancer Family Registry from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. This is the largest study to date investigating the associations between aspirin, ibuprofen and bowel cancer risk for people with Lynch syndrome.

Medical Research: What are the main findings?

Response: People with Lynch syndrome who took aspirin regularly have half the risk of developing bowel cancer compared with people who did not take aspirin. People with Lynch syndrome who took ibuprofen regularly, another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, were about 60% less likely to develop bowel cancer compared with people who did not take ibuprofen. These associations were seen in both men and women.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response: For people with Lynch syndrome, chemoprevention by taking aspirin and ibuprofen might be effective in reducing their risk of bowel cancer.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Further studies are needed to help determine the optimal dose, duration and timing of taking aspirin and ibuprofen to recommend for people with Lynch syndrome.

Citation:

Driss Ait Ouakrim, Seyedeh Ghazaleh Dashti, Rowena Chau, Daniel D. Buchanan, Mark Clendenning, Christophe Rosty, Ingrid M. Winship, Joanne P. Young, Graham G. Giles, Barbara Leggett, Finlay A. Macrae, Dennis J. Ahnen, Graham Casey, Steven Gallinger, Robert W. Haile, Loïc Le Marchand, Stephen N. Thibodeau, Noralane M. Lindor, Polly A. Newcomb, John D. Potter, John A. Baron, John L. Hopper, Mark A. Jenkins, and Aung Ko Win

Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Lynch Syndrome JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst (2015) 107 (9): djv170 doi:10.1093/jnci/djv170 First published online June 24, 2015 (11 pages)

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Aung Ko Win, MBBS MPH PhD, Research Fellow, & NHMRC Early Career Clinical Research Fellow (2015). Aspirin and Ibuprofen May Reduce Bowel Cancer Risk in Lynch Syndrome 

Last Updated on July 8, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD