Khaberni - A recent medical study revealed that regular use of the pain reliever ibuprofen may be associated with a significant reduction in the risk of uterine endometrial cancer, the most common type of uterine cancer.
The results showed that women who took 30 or more tablets of ibuprofen monthly had a 25% lower risk of contracting the disease compared to those who took less than 4 tablets per month.
The roots of this idea date back to 1983, when researchers first observed that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - to which ibuprofen belongs - might be linked to lower rates of colon cancer. Since then, scientists have studied this relationship more deeply, trying to understand the mechanisms that might enable this common drug to offer this additional protection.
The answer lies partly in the basic working method of ibuprofen. As is known, this drug works by inhibiting cyclooxygenase enzymes (cyclooxygenases), responsible for inflammation, known briefly as COX. When the COX-2 enzyme is specifically inhibited, it reduces the production of "prostaglandins" - those molecules that not only cause inflammation but may also stimulate the growth of cancer cells.
The latest evidence comes from an intensive study involving more than 42,000 women, where results showed that women who took about one ibuprofen pill daily had a noticeably reduced risk of contracting endometrial cancer by 25%. The protective effect was more evident among women with heart disease. Interestingly, this effect was not observed with aspirin, although it belongs to the same family of drugs.
The potential benefits are not limited to endometrial cancer alone but other studies suggest that ibuprofen may help reduce the risks of colon, breast, lung, and prostate cancers. Some research has even found that it may reduce the chances of colon cancer recurrence after treatment.
The effects behind these findings are more complex than just inhibiting inflammation. Ibuprofen appears to affect certain genes associated with tumor growth and may alter the way DNA is packaged inside cells, making cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy.
However, the picture is not entirely rosy, as some studies warn that using these drugs after cancer diagnosis may be associated with adverse outcomes in some cases. Moreover, long-term use of ibuprofen carries known risks such as stomach ulcers, kidney disease, and heart problems, especially when interacting with other drugs.
Experts caution that it is too early to recommend taking ibuprofen for cancer prevention, and that traditional methods such as maintaining a healthy weight, following a balanced diet, and engaging in physical activity remain the pillars of prevention. However, these research findings open the door to the possibility of developing new preventative strategies, especially for those more susceptible to cancer, benefiting from familiar and inexpensive drugs that may harbor unexpected benefits.
