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Role of Aspirin in Breast Cancer Survival

  • Breast Cancer (B Overmoyer, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Chemotherapy and hormonal therapy have significantly decreased breast cancer mortality, although with considerable side effects and financial costs. In the USA, over three million women are living after a breast cancer diagnosis and are eager for new treatments that are low in toxicity and cost. Multiple observational studies have reported improved breast cancer survival with regular aspirin use. Furthermore, pooled data from five large randomized trials of aspirin for cardiovascular disease showed that subjects on aspirin had decreased risk of cancer mortality and decreased risk of metastatic cancer. Although the potential mechanism for aspirin preventing breast cancer is not known, possible pathways may involve platelets, inflammation, cyclooxygenase (COX) 2, hormones, or PI3 kinase. This review article summarizes the current epidemiologic and clinical trial evidence as well as possible underlying mechanisms that justify current phase III randomized trials of aspirin to improve breast cancer survival.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Wendy Y. Chen

  2. Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Wendy Y. Chen & Michelle D. Holmes

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Michelle D. Holmes

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  1. Wendy Y. Chen
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Correspondence to Wendy Y. Chen.

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Conflict of Interest

Wendy Y. Chen and Michelle D. Holmes have received aspirin and placebo from Bayer Pharmaceuticals for a randomized trial of aspirin for breast cancer survivors. Dr. Chen serves as the study chair, and Dr. Holmes serves as the co-principal investigator.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Breast Cancer

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Chen, W.Y., Holmes, M.D. Role of Aspirin in Breast Cancer Survival. Curr Oncol Rep 19, 48 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-017-0605-6

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