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For Immediate Release
April 12, 2004
The Aspirin Foundation of America responds
to research published April 7, 2004 in the Journal of
the National Cancer Institute finding no link between
aspirin use and pancreatic cancer:
Research by Dr. Eric Jacobs et al of
the American Cancer Society, published in the Journal
of the National Cancer Institute, analyzed data from
nearly 1 million subjects in the Cancer Prevention Study
II and found that taking aspirin, even 30 or more times
per month, did not appear to have any effect on a patient's
risk of having pancreatic cancer. The researchers found
that the results were true for both men and women.
The researchers were quoted in a media
report as saying that they found "no suggestion
of any association between aspirin use and pancreatic
cancer mortality in this large prospective study, despite
being able to examine both frequent and long-duration
use."
The findings contradict previous research
indicating that among women, long-term aspirin use may
increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Those findings
were the result of a much smaller study. The number
of pancreatic cancer cases in the earlier study was
less than 0.2 percent, a smaller subset of which was
taking aspirin.
While previous research on aspirin's
health effects pertaining to pancreatic cancer has been
inconclusive, this latest finding adds significant weight
to evidence that aspirin does not increase the risk
of pancreatic cancer.
"That aspirin does not
appear to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer is
welcome news to the millions of Americans who take aspirin
daily to prevent cardiovascular events," said Thomas
Bryant, MD, president of the Aspirin Foundation of America.
Aspirin's health benefits and
safety record are well-documented. As with any medication,
it is important that consumers considering or on aspirin
therapy follow the advice of their physicians.
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Contact:
Caroline Perrin
807 National Press Building, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 800-432-3247 Fax: 202/737-8406
info@aspirin.org
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