Regular ibuprofen intake may lower the risk of lung cancer death among individuals with current or past histories of smoking, according to a new study.
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Previous studies have found chronic inflammation to increase the risk of lung cancer. Steroid-based medications intended to reduce inflammation have shown to reduce the risk of lung cancer, but few studies have analyzed the effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on decreasing risk of lung cancer death.
A prospective study led by Marisa Bittoni, PhD, research scientist, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, sampled data from 10,735 individuals who reported current or prior smoking habits from 1988-1994. Baseline data including smoking, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and other basic lifestyle variables were collected from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Cause-specific mortality status was determined through probabilistic record matching from the National Death Index through 2006. Using Cox proportional hazards regression models, researchers estimated how non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use might be associated with the risk of dying from lung cancer.
Results of the 18-year follow-up period showed 269 individuals died from lung cancer. A total of 252 (93.6%) of these individuals had reported a smoking history. A sub-cohort of 5882 individuals who reported a smoking history and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use was created so researchers could compare effects of such drugs and risks of dying from lung cancer among the two groups.
Prospective data showed that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake, in particular ibuprofen, was associated with substantial reduction in the risk of dying from lung cancer (48%) among adults with a history of current or past smoking. Aspirin and acetaminophen did not show any significant effects in reducing such a risk. The study was presented at the IASLC 17th annual World Conference on Lung Cancer (Vienna, Austria).
“These results suggest that regular use of certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be beneficial for high-risk subgroups of smokers as a lung cancer prevention strategy,” said Dr Bittoni.
Further research is required to assess the validity of ibuprofen as a lung cancer prevention strategy. Inflammation and its link to lung cancer deaths is also a topic in need of further study.
