Recent human epidemiologic studies suggest that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have preventive effects against cancers of the colon, breast, and prostate. Laboratory and animal studies also provide evidence of antineoplastic effects of NSAIDs against a variety of solid tumors, including skin cancer. We studied the effects of NSAIDs on malignant melanoma in women utilizing a case control experimental design involving 110 women with histologically proven malignant melanoma, and 609 female controls frequency matched to the cases on age, and place of residence. We observed a significant decrease in the relative risk (RR) of malignant melanoma with regular intake of common over the counter NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen (RR=0.45, 95% CI=0.22-0.92, p<0.05). Adjustment for sun exposure did not change the magnitude of the estimate. Our results are the first to show that NSAIDs may have value in the chemoprevention of malignant melanoma.

Related Articles