Medical Researchers: Aspirin May Lower Risk of Breast Cancer

 

Barry Newhouse

Medical researchers say a new study shows women who regularly take aspirin¹ may lower their risk of developing the most common type of breast cancer.

Cancer researchers say a study of nearly 3000 women in New York found those who regularly took aspirin had a lower incidence of breast cancer than those who did not take aspirin.

Dr. Alfred Neugut is professor of medicine at Columbia University and one of the study's researchers. "Taking an aspirin a day, presumably reduces your risk of getting breast cancer by roughly 25 percent and that the specific type of breast cancer that's prevented is what one might characterize as estrogen-dependent breast cancer."

Dr. Neugut said that aspirin appears to suppress the production of the hormone² estrogen in the breast. Estrogen is partly responsible for causing the type of breast cancer that accounts for about 70 percent of all breast cancer cases.

About one in eight American women develop breast cancer during her lifetime.

Doctors say the study's findings do not mean that women should begin regularly taking aspirin, because more research is needed on the potential side effects of the drug. However, women who currently take aspirin for other medical conditions may also be lowering their risk of breast cancer.

Researcher Andrew Dannenberg says the study is also significant because it marks an important milestone³ in understanding and preventing cancer.

"In cardiology we know that using drugs such as anti-hypertensive agents protects against coronary artery⁴ disease. Oncology is probably 15 to 20 years behind, but this study represents a critical point because it illustrates⁵ preventing cancer as opposed to simply waiting to develop cancer."

The study's findings are published in the May 26 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

注释：
aspirin [5AspErin] n. 阿斯匹林（解热镇痛药）
breast cancer 乳腺癌
incidence [5insidEns] n. 影响范围
estrogen [5estrEdVEn] n. [生化] 雌激素
hormone [5hC:mEun] n. 荷尔蒙，激素
potential [pE5tenF(E)l] adj. 潜在的，可能的
milestone [5mailstEun] n. 里程碑，转折点
cardiology [7kB:di5ClEdVi] n. [医] 心脏病学
anti-hypertensive [5Anti7haipE(:)5tensiv] 抗高血压的
coronary [5kCrEnEri] adj. 冠状的
artery [5B:tEri] n. 动脉
oncology [CN5kClEdVi] n. 肿瘤学

1 aspirin   

n.阿司匹林

参考例句：

• The aspirin seems to quiet the headache.阿司匹林似乎使头痛减轻了。
• She went into a chemist's and bought some aspirin.她进了一家药店，买了些阿司匹林。

2 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

3 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

4 artery   

n.干线，要道；动脉

参考例句：

• We couldn't feel the changes in the blood pressure within the artery.我们无法感觉到动脉血管内血压的变化。
• The aorta is the largest artery in the body.主动脉是人体中的最大动脉。

5 illustrates   

给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
• Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分