NSAIDS Reduce Deaths from Colorectal Cancer

Using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDS) before being diagnosed with colorectal cancer reduced women’s deaths both from any cause and from colorectal cancer five years later.

Women followed as part of the California Teachers Study who used NSAIDS regularly had more than 40 percent reduction in colorectal cancer deaths and a 30 percent  reduced chance of dying overall.

Among women in the study, there were 621 women wh developed colorectal cancer.  In that group

After adjusting for other colorectal cancer risk factors, regular use (1-3 days a week, 4-6 days a week, and daily) resulted in a 29 percent overall survival (HR 0.71) and 42 percent colorectal cancer survival (HR 0.58) improvement compared to those women who didn’t use NSAIDS at all.

Women who used NSAIDs for five years or more had 35 percent reduced risk  of dying from any disease and a 60 percent increase in colorectal cancer specific survival.

Writing in Cancer, Jason A. Zell, DO, MPH, and his colleagues concluded,

When used regularly or over a prolonged duration before CRC diagnosis, NSAIDs are associated with decreased mortality among female CRC patients.

SOURCE: Zell et al., Cancer, published early online October 13, 2009.

Bookmark and Share

This news article was originally posted on October 18th, 2009 and was accurate at the time of publication. Since then, information may have changed or links may now be outdated. Please call our Answer Line 1-877-427-2111 for the latest information, or talk to your doctor before making any medical decisions.

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 18th, 2009
Tags: NSAIDS, survival

Leave a Comment Comments RSS

Your comments are welcome. However, specific medical advice will not be provided, and we urge you to consult with a qualified physician for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions. C3 is not responsible for the medical accuracy of any comments left by persons other than C3 staff members. C3 staff members monitor comments and may respond publicly where appropriate.

Please note that we automatically publish the name that you enter next to your post. Also note that our pages are automatically indexed by Google and other search engines, and your name may therefore appear in search results on those sites. So if you wish to remain anonymous please use a different name or enter 'Anon' as the name.

We regret that we are unable to privately answer questions left as comments. So please do not include your phone number, email or mailing address in the body of your comment. For the best personal and direct response to your colorectal cancer treatment questions, please call our Answer Line at 1-877-4CRC-111 (1-877-427-2111).

Search C3

New to C3?

Get monthly updates on colorectal cancer treatment options, research news and advocacy opportunities. We promise to not bombard you with email - just enough to keep you informed on how to fight colorectal cancer.

First Name

Last Name

Email

Donate

Support C3 and the Lisa Fund for Research

Donate to C3

Donate to The Lisa Fund

Learn more about the Lisa Fund

Sign Our Petition

Guarantee access to colorectal cancer screening for all Americans who need it.

Get Involved

Subscribe to the C3 website

Get C3 news & updates

Get the latest articles in your email inbox or news reader as soon as they are published.

Subscribe