Breast cancer: Aspirin may help fight aggressive cases

A research team at the Christie NHS Foundation trust, in Manchester, is starting a trial with triple-negative breast cancer patients.

Anti-inflammatory properties

They speculate that it is aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties rather than its analgesic effect that gives the boost. Animal studies have already shown amazing results.

There is proof that aspirin might help inhibit some other cancers and reduce the risk of it spreading. However, it is too early to advise people to start usage, as more research is needed.

About 8,000 women are diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in the UK every year, a less common but often more aggressive type of breast cancer that disproportionately affects younger women and black women.

These tumours do not have the receptors some other breast cancers have, meaning certain treatments, like Herceptin, will not work. Although, other medicines and treatments can help.

Aspirin and avelumab

In the trial, funded by a research programme run by the charity Breast Cancer Now, some patients will be given aspirin as well as immunotherapy drug avelumab before they receive surgery and chemotherapy treatment.

If all goes well, there could be more clinical trials of aspirin and avelumab for incurable secondary triple-negative breast cancer, when cancer cells that started in the breast spread to other parts of the body.

Beth Bramall, from Hampshire, was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2019.

She said:

There's no easy cancer, but triple negative is particularly gruelling, with few treatment options and a long and debilitating treatment plan.

It floored me, with side effects of hair loss, nausea, joint and muscle pain, diarrhoea and constipation, burning palms and feet, migraines, night sweats and fatigue like I've never known before.

I'm blessed that I've had a pathological complete response to treatment. But it's been the hardest 18 months for me and my family.

And I have over two more years of treatments and scans ahead.