ovarian cancer : Common pain reliever may lower ovarian cancer risk

LONDON (Agence de Presse Medicale) - Using paracetamol (known in the US as acetaminophen) regularly appears to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 30 percent, according to the results of a review of several studies, reported in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

Lead researcher Dr. Stefanos Bonovas, of the department of pharmacology at the University of Athens, and colleagues looked at all studies covering paracetamol and ovarian cancer from 1966 to 2004.

Bonovas said several observational studies had examined paracetamol as a potential chemopreventive agent. But it was the "non-conclusive nature of the epidemiological evidence" which prompted his group to conduct a review, or "meta-analysis" of the studies.



The researchers analyzed eight major studies involving more than 746,000 women between 1998 and 2004. The studies included 10 to 1,573 cases of ovarian cancer. Most of the studies were carried out in the U.S., while one was conducted in the UK and one in continental Europe.

Seven of the eight studies evaluated the effect of paracetamol on the incidence of ovarian cancer, while one evaluated the effect of paracetamol the mortality of ovarian cancer. Paracetamol exposure was classified as 'regular' or 'irregular.' In the biggest study, 'regular' was defined as more than 30 tablets in the month before the study began.

The analysis showed that 'regular use' was associated with a 30 percent reduction in the risk of developing ovarian cancer compared with non-use. By contrast, 'irregular use' was not associated with any reduction in the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Bonovas said the findings of the meta-analysis support a protective association between paracetamol use and ovarian cancer and provide evidence for a dose effect. On the other hand, the long-term risks of liver and chronic renal failure might outweigh the drug's potential benefits in women at low risk of ovarian cancer.

"However, we believe that a randomized trial in women with a high risk of developing the disease might be appropriate. Further research is also needed into how this protective mechanism actually works," Bonovas added in a statement

By Nick Hudson