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This article is from the WebMD News Archive
Aspirin May Delay Prostate Cancer, Extend Life
Oct. 4, 2004 (Atlanta) -- Humble aspirin, take another bow. Already being used to ward off heart disease and a variety of other cancers, the ubiquitous painkiller also appears to help men with prostate cancer live longer. And other painkillers seem to have the same effect.
"Aspirin has already been shown to prevent new cancers in patients treated for prostate cancer," says Khanh H. Nguyen, MD, a cancer specialist at the Fox Chase Cancer Center. His team's new study, he says, shows it also appears to delay the spread of prostate cancer and most importantly, improve survival as well.
And it's not just aspirin that seems to offer these benefits. Other anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen and naproxen, act similarly to potentially extend the lives of men with prostate cancer, the study suggests. Aspirin and these other medications are all known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Speaking at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Nguyen says that in the study, more than nine in 10 men who took aspirin or another NSAID were alive 10 years later compared with fewer than seven in 10 men who didn't take the painkillers. "That's a really significant difference," he tells WebMD.
Louis Potters, MD, medical director of the department of radiation oncology at the New York Prostate Institute at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, N.Y., notes that evidence is mounting that prostate cancer may develop in areas with chronic inflammation. And some studies suggest that anti-inflammatory medications might be able to modify this process, thereby affecting the cancer, he tells WebMD.
"Studies have shown that anti-inflammatories are potentially helpful for preventing prostate cancer," Potters says. "Now we have preliminary evidence that even if you have the disease, these medications may decrease its virulence. That's what's so nice about this work."
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs' Many Benefits
The researchers studied more than 1,200 men who were undergoing radiation therapy with the goal of curing prostate cancer before it had a chance to spread elsewhere in the body. Nguyen says 232 of the men told their doctors they were taking NSAIDs before treatment began; 974 were not. The men were followed for an average of four-and-one-half years.
According to the study:
- On average, 100 months went by before cancer spread to other parts of the body in the group of men taking an NSAID vs. 37 months for men not taking NSAIDs, Nguyen reports.
- 3% of men on NSAIDs developed a new cancer, compared with 5% of those not on the painkillers.
- 91% of those on NSAIDs were alive 10 years later vs. 68% of those not on NSAIDs.
The bottom line: "Our data suggest a potential benefit of NSAIDs in managing prostate cancer," Nguyen says.
Though the study was not designed to look at how and why NSAIDs might prevent cancer, he notes that they block the body's production of enzymes known as Cox-1 and Cox-2. And laboratory studies suggest that inhibition of these enzymes enhances cell death and inhibits the growth of blood vessels that feed a tumor. "So they're preventing the tumor from growing and spreading," Nguyen tells WebMD.
Nevertheless, at least as far as prostate cancer is concerned, it's still too soon to tell men that aspirin is a lifesaver, he says. "We need confirmatory studies."
Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among men in the U.S. In 2003, an estimated 220,000 new prostate cancer cases were diagnosed. More than 28,000 deaths result annually from this disease.
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Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
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