Aspirin, NSAID, and acetaminophen use and the risk of endometrial cancer

To date, no prospective studies have explored the relationship between the use of aspirin, other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medications (NSAID), and acetaminophen and endometrial adenocarcinoma. Of the 82,971 women enrolled in a prospective cohort study, 747 developed medical record-confirmed invasive endometrial cancer over a 24-year period. Use of aspirin was ascertained from 1980 to 2004, and for other NSAIDs and acetaminophen, from 1990 to 2004. Cox regression models calculated multivariate relative risks (MV RR), controlling for body mass index (BMI), postmenopausal hormone (PMH) use, and other endometrial cancer risk factors. Currency, duration, and quantity of aspirin were not associated with endometrial cancer risk overall [current use: MV RR, 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83-1.27; >10 years of use: MV RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.78-1.30; and cumulative average >7 tablets per week: (MV RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.84-1.44)]. However, stratified analyses showed that a lower risk of endometrial cancer among obese (BMI, ≥30 kg/m²) women was seen with current aspirin use (MV RR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.46-0.95). The greatest risk reduction for current aspirin users was seen in postmenopausal obese women who had never used PMH (MV RR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.26-0.73). The use of other NSAIDs or acetaminophen was not associated with endometrial cancer. Our data suggest that use of aspirin or other NSAIDs does not play an important role in endometrial cancer risk overall. However, risk was significantly lower for current aspirin users who were obese or who were postmenopausal and had never used PMHs; these subgroup findings require further confirmation.