Did You Know?

In a 2008 study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's Seventh Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, the role of aspirin in the ability to detect early-stage prostate cancer was questioned. In the study, middle-aged men who took aspirin were found to have significantly lower levels of a blood protein used to spot prostate cancer than men who did not take aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). Aspirin use, the study cited, lowered the level of prostate-specific antigens (PSAs), potentially masking the presence of prostate cancer. As a result, physicians would naturally be less suspicious of prostate cancer with lower PSA levels (higher blood PSA levels suggest a greater likelihood of having prostate cancer). The study, which was based on data collected from more than 1,200 men over the age of 40, found that PSA levels were 9 percent lower in men taking aspirin or another NSAID than those who were not. Though the researchers indicated more studies are necessary to determine the relationship between NSAID use and prostate cancer detection, men should consult their physicians before regularly using such medications.