Ibuprofen is known globally as a medication that is commonly used to reduce pain and inflammation. Now, a new study has revealed that the drug may be able to reduce the risk of death from lung cancer among former and current smokers.
The study was led by Dr Marisa Bittoni, of The Ohio State University, and was presented at the IASLC 17th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Vienna, Austria.
Previous studies have shown that chronic inflammation is associated with increased risk of lung cancer. Since ibuprofen is a medication that reduces inflammation, Dr Bittoni and colleagues set out to investigate whether the drug might benefit people with a history of smoking.
The study showed that the drug reduced lung cancer death risk by 48 percent. The study analysed data from 10,735 adults.
Subjects’ smoking status, use of ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and information on other lifestyle factors were gathered at study baseline
Quitting smoking and adopting a healthy lifestyle remain the best ways to lower lung cancer risk. However, Dr Bittoni and colleagues believe their findings suggest regular ibuprofen use might be valuable for some people.
Read the full report from Medical News Today here.
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