Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
Read more health news
NSAIDs Lower Odds for Oral Cancer but Boost Heart Disease Risk
|
FRIDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) shows promise in preventing mouth cancer in former and current smokers but may pose a heart risk, according to a Norwegian study in this week''s issue of The Lancet. The study of more than 900 active and former smokers concluded that use of NSAID painkillers like ibuprofen and naproxen -- but not aspirin -- reduced the risk of mouth cancer by half but also doubled users'' risk of death from heart disease. The study authors said their results show the need for careful risk-benefit analysis when long-term NSAID use is being considered. The study did not include data on use of the cox-2 inhibitor subclass of NSAIDs, which includes Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra. The findings were first reported last spring at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. Researchers led by Dr. Jon Sudbo of Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, found that NSAIDs reduced the risk of oral cancer by 53 percent, even in active smokers. This protective effect against oral cancer is comparable to quitting smoking. However, the study found this protective effect against oral cancer didn''t translate into increased overall survival. That''s because long-term NSAID use doubled the risk of death due to heart disease, the study found. The study authors noted that oral cancer prevention trials of NSAIDs are either planned or already under way. "Researchers of these trials must carefully monitor potential adverse cardiovascular effects in their populations, which are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease as well as oral cancer, and implement other safety measures such as excluding patients with cardiovascular disease or specific risk factors for cardiovascular disease," the study authors wrote. "Over the next few years, these trials will determine whether NSAIDs can reduce the devastating effect of oral cancer on patients, their families, and public health," the authors noted. More information The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about oral cancer.
Last Updated: Oct. 7, 2005 |