NSAIDS Temporarily Stave Off Mesothelioma in Mice
Aspirin and COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex will not keep mesothelioma from developing, but they may slow it down a little. That is the conclusion of a team of Australian scientists studying the effects of these drugs on mice and asbestos-exposed people. Both COX-2 inhibitors (pain relievers which act on a specific enzyme responsible for inflammation) and NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin have been associated with a lower incidence of cancer. In addition, because mesothelioma is known to be triggered, in part, by chronic inflammation caused by asbestos fibers, researchers at the National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases and the School of Public Health at the University of Western Australia theorized that these drugs might be used to prevent mesothelioma….