Table 4

Association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and breast cancer by estrogen receptor status, National Institutes of Health–AARP Study

Estrogen receptor-positive
 Estrogen receptor-negative

NSAID use
 Number of cancers
 Person-years
 Relative riska
 95% confidence interval
 P value for trend
 Number of cancers
 Person-years
 Relative riska
 95% confidence interval
 P value for trend
Aspirin useb









     Never
 493
 280,706
 1.00 (referent)
0.06
 88
 279,308
 1.00 (referent)
0.54
     <1/week
 464
 262,491
 0.98
 0.86 to 1.11
93
 261,137
 1.09
 0.81 to 1.47
     1–6/week
 243
 131,724
 1.00
 0.86 to 1.17
42
 131,022
 1.01
 0.70 to 1.47
     1+/day
 223
 143,476
 0.84
 0.71 to 0.98
52
 142,852
 1.14
 0.81 to 1.62
Nonaspirin NSAID useb









     Never
 541
 325,816
 1.00 (referent)
0.86
 108
 324,250
 1.00 (referent)
0.64
     <1/week
 466
 258,767
 1.04
 0.92 to 1.18
96
 257,460
 1.08
 0.81 to 1.43
     1–6/week
 230
 124,804
 1.07
 0.92 to 1.26
36
 124,115
 0.85
 0.58 to 1.25
     1+/day
 186
 107,763
 0.98
 0.83 to 1.16
36
 107,241
 0.97
 0.66 to 1.42

The threshold for a positive estrogen receptor was ≥10 fmol receptor/mg total protein. aAdjusted for age (continuous), race, age at first birth, hormone therapy use, number of breast biopsies, alcohol intake, history of hypertension, and family history of breast cancer in first-degree relative. bThese models also include terms for frequency of use of opposite NSAID type.

Gierach et al. Breast Cancer Research 2008 10:R38   doi:10.1186/bcr2089