Commonly used painkillers can reduce the risk of mouth cancer in smokers but long-term use could raise the odds of dying from heart disease, Norwegian scientists said on October 7.
The painkillers, known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, halved the odds of developing mouth cancer in a study of nearly 500 smokers. The effect was comparable to quitting smoking.
However, the drugs did not increase overall survival because the patients had a higher risk of dying of cardiovascular disease.
"These findings highlight the need for a careful risk-benefit analysis when the long-term use of NSAIDS is considered," Dr Jon Sudbo, of the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo, said in the report in The Lancet medical journal.
Commonly used NSAIDs include ibuprofen and naproxen, which is sold over-the-counter by Bayer as Aleve. Newer painkillers known as COX-2 inhibitors, including Merck's Vioxx, have been linked to a risk of heart attacks and strokes.