Pain Relievers May Help Cancer Victims Survive

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or naproxen have been linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer, the third most common cancer in the U.S. Now there may be an association with better survival.
Scientists at the University of California, Irvine, analyzed data from more than 600 women diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the California Teachers Study. The women were followed up for about three and a half years. Those who reported taking an NSAID pain reliever at least once a week before diagnosis were 40 percent less likely to die from their cancer during that time. If other studies confirm that regular NSAID use for five years prior to diagnosis improve survival, it may change the guidelines given to colorectal cancer survivors.
[Cancer, online Oct. 13, 2009]