Research: Aspirin intake may stop growth of AN

[It is what it is]

Aspirin Intake May Stop Growth of Tumors That Cause Hearing Loss
Jan. 24, 2014 — Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Massachusetts General Hospital have demonstrated, for the first time, that aspirin intake correlates with halted growth of vestibular schwannomas (also known as acoustic neuromas), a sometimes lethal intracranial tumor that typically causes hearing loss and tinnitus.

Motivated by experiments in the Molecular Neurotology Laboratory at Mass. Eye and Ear involving human tumor specimens, the researchers performed a retrospective analysis of over 600 people diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma at Mass. Eye and Ear. Their research suggests the potential therapeutic role of aspirin in inhibiting tumor growth and motivates a clinical prospective study to assess efficacy of this well-tolerated anti-inflammatory medication in preventing growth of these intracranial tumors.
“Currently, there are no FDA-approved drug therapies to treat these tumors, which are the most common tumors of the cerebellopontine angle and the fourth most common intracranial tumors,” explains Konstantina Stankovic, M.D., Ph.D., who led the study. “Current options for management of growing vestibular schwannomas include surgery (via craniotomy) or radiation therapy, both of which are associated with potentially serious complications.”
The findings, which are described in the February issue of the journal Otology and Neurotology, were based on a retrospective series of 689 people, 347 of whom were followed with multiple magnetic resonance imaging MRI scans (50.3%). The main outcome measures were patient use of aspirin and rate of vestibular schwannoma growth measured by changes in the largest tumor dimension as noted on serial MRIs. A significant inverse association was found among aspirin users and vestibular schwannoma growth (odds ratio: 0.50, 95 percent confidence interval: 0.29-0.85), which was not confounded by age or gender.
“Our results suggest a potential therapeutic role of aspirin in inhibiting vestibular schwannoma growth,” said Dr. Stankovic, who is an otologic surgeon and researcher at Mass. Eye and Ear, Assistant Professor of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School (HMS), and member of the faculty of Harvard’s program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology.:

Journal Reference:
Tjeerd Muurling, Konstantina M. Stankovic. Metabolomic and Network Analysis of Pharmacotherapies for Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Otology & Neurotology, 2014; 35 (1): 1 DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000000254

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (2014, January 24). Aspirin intake may stop growth of tumors that cause hearing loss. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 25, 2014, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2014/01/140124110705.htm

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[arizonajack]

Interesting.

I've been taking 81 mg of aspirin daily since 2006 (Dr's advice - supposed to lower the risk of heart attack).

Doesn't appear to have helped in the AN department.

Here's another interesting article since most of us are cognizant of the potential for getting Alzheimer's as we get older.


Ibuprofen Linked To Reduced Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease
Date: May 6, 2008
Source: American Academy of Neurology

Long-term use of ibuprofen and other drugs commonly used for aches and pains was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the May 6, 2008, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Previous studies have shown conflicting results, but this is the longest study of its kind.

For the study, researchers identified 49,349 US veterans age 55 and older who developed Alzheimer's disease and 196,850 veterans without dementia. The study examined over five years of data and looked at the use of several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The veterans received medical care and prescriptions through the VA Health Care system.

The study found people who specifically used ibuprofen for more than five years were more than 40 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Results also showed that the longer ibuprofen was used, the lower the risk for dementia. In addition, people who used certain types of NSAIDs for more than five years were 25 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than non-users.

While other NSAIDs such as indomethacin may also have been associated with lower risks, others such as celecoxib did not show any impact on dementia risk. "These results suggest that the effect may be due to specific NSAIDs rather than all NSAIDs as a class," said study author Steven Vlad, MD, with Boston University School of Medicine.

"Some of these medications taken long term decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease, but it's very dependent on the exact drugs used. It doesn't appear that all NSAIDs decrease the risk at the same rate," said Vlad. "One reason ibuprofen may have come out so far ahead is that it is by far the most commonly used."

Observational studies such as this one must be interpreted with the understanding that they do not prove that an NSAID has a therapeutic effect. The study is subject to what is called "indication bias." That means that it might not be the NSAID use that drove the lower risk of dementia, but rather something about the people who chose to use the NSAIDs that was responsible. These findings should not be taken to mean that NSAIDs should be administered to prevent dementia.

The most common side effects of NSAIDs are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, constipation and headache.

The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.