Private MD News

Acetaminophen shown to reduce prostate cancer risk

Category: Prostate

Taking regular doses of the pain reliever acetaminophen may help men avoid a positive PSA test indicating the presence of prostate cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

The American Cancer Society researchers who conducted the study said that other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as aspirin, have been shown to reduce prostate cancer. However, not to the degree that their investigation showed acetaminophen does.

After surveying nearly 80,000 men about their use of the drug and tracking their medical records for a period of 15 years, the researchers found that those who took the equivalent of 30 pills per month were 38 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer.

The researchers cautioned that acetaminophen has been shown to contribute to liver disease in higher doses, and more investigation would need to be conducted before they could recommend that men take the medication on a regular basis. However, if further studies provide similar results, acetaminophen could prove to be an effective tool in the battle against prostate cancer.