Low-Dose Aspirin May Be Lowering Your Breast Cancer Risk

Researchers pulled data from California Teachers Study of over 57,000 women and found that those who reported taking low-dose aspirin, regularly, were more likely to have a lower risk of the most common breast cancers.

The study, published in the journal Breast Cancer Research, found that the same trend did not hold for women who took high-dose aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medication.

According to CNN, “In the 23% of women who reported using low-dose aspirin regularly, researchers saw a 20% reduction in the risk of developing HR-positive/HER2 negative breast cancer, some of the most common forms of the disease.”

Statistics have found that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer during the span of their lifetime. With an estimated 252,710 new cases expected to be diagnosed in 2017.

A direct causation between continuous aspirin use and the lower risk of breast cancer was not found, but it was noted that for those who are already taking low-dose aspirin this could be a promising fringe benefit.

While many individuals take low-dose aspiring to prevent heart disease, the study does emphasize that the decision to take the pill should be made in consultation with a medical professional as those with specific blood diseases could trigger side-effects by taking low-dose aspirin.

Cover image courtesy of Getty Images.

By Vivian Nunez on May 2, 2017