LONDON, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Scientists say the everyday painkiller aspirin could be used to treat certain types of cancer.
Specifically, scientists believe aspirin could fight some breast cancers and a rare kind of skin cancer, the BBC reported Thursday. They say the drug helps reduce inflammation in the body, and inflammation causes some of these cancers.
The study, published in the journal Nature, adds to growing evidence that the humble painkiller can be used to fight a wide range of diseases. Previous studies have suggested aspirin, which is more than 100 years old, could help treat conditions like heart disease and strokes.
In this latest study, scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research in London examined a rare form of cancer called turban tumor syndrome or cylindromatosis. While the tumors are benign, they can cause horrendous disfigurement and discomfort and may eventually turn into life-threatening cancers.
A faulty gene prevents the body's natural reaction to inflammation or disease and allows a particular molecule involved in cancer development to flourish. Scientists hope using aspirin will counter the actions of that molecule and plan clinical trials on victims of cylindromatosis.
