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No effect of aspirin on mammographic density in a randomized controlled clinical trial.

McTiernan, Anne and Wang, C Y and Sorensen, Bess and Xiao, Liren and Buist, Diana S M and Aiello Bowles, Erin J and White, Emily and Rossing, Mary Anne and Potter, John and Urban, Nicole (2009) No effect of aspirin on mammographic density in a randomized controlled clinical trial. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology, 18 (5). pp. 1524-1530. ISSN 1055-9965

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Article URL: http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/cgi/reprint/18/5/1524

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies suggest a reduced risk of breast cancer among women who regularly use aspirin; a plausible mechanism is through aspirin effect on mammographic breast density, a breast cancer risk factor, possibly mediated through aspirin interference with estrogen synthesis. METHODS: In a 2-arm randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial, we evaluated the effects of 6-month administration of 325 mg/day aspirin on total mammographic breast dense area and percent of the mammographic breast image occupied by dense areas (% density) in 143 postmenopausal women. Eligible women, recruited from 2005 to 2007, were healthy, not taking hormone therapy, with elevated mammographic breast density (American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System density category 2, 3, or 4) within 6 months before enrollment. RESULTS: Women were a mean (SD) 59.5 (5.5) years. Geometric mean baseline percent density was 17.6% (95% confidence interval, 14.8-20.9) in women randomized to aspirin and 19.2% (95% confidence interval, 16.3-22.7) in women randomized to placebo. Percent density decreased in women randomized to aspirin by an absolute 0.8% versus an absolute decrease of 1.2% in controls (P = 0.84). Total breast area and dense area decreased to a similar degree in women assigned to aspirin and in those assigned to placebo, with no statistically significant differences between trial arms. CONCLUSIONS: A single daily administration of adult-dose aspirin for 6 months had no effect on mammographic density in postmenopausal women. If aspirin affects breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women, it may do so through alternative pathways than mammographic breast density. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(5):1524-30).

Item Type: Article or Abstract
Additional Information: This article is available to subscribers only via the URL above for the first 12 months following publication.
DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-1088
PubMed ID: 19423529
NIHMSID: NIHMS116968
PMCID: PMC2689709
Grant Numbers: P50 CA083636-10
Keywords or MeSH Headings: * Aged * Aspirin/administration & dosage * Aspirin/pharmacology* * Breast Neoplasms/radiography* * Double-Blind Method * Female * Humans * Linear Models * Mammography * Middle Aged * Postmenopause * Risk Factors
Depositing User: Library Staff
Date Deposited: 12 May 2009 22:22
Last Modified: 14 Feb 2012 14:42
URI: http://authors.fhcrc.org/id/eprint/287

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