Women who take regular doses of aspirin may be enjoying protection against cancer of the ovaries, according to new findings from Denmark.
Taking the pill cut risk by about 40%, researchers said.
The findings attracted cautious responses as regular use of aspirin carries significant side-effects.
The researchers could not find a link with any other form of pain-killer.
The findings come from a study of 756 women with ovarian cancer compared with 1,500 other women without the disease over a five year period in the late 1990s. The link with aspirin use was strongest for the most serious cancers.
The findings were reported in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica.
Researcher Dr Susanne Kjær, of the Danish Cancer Society Research Centre, said: "Our findings suggest a potential protective effect of analgesic use on ovarian cancer risk, but that benefit should be balanced against adverse effects of pain medication use, such as risk of bleeding and peptic ulcers."
She added: "Ovarian cancer has a high mortality. Understanding what factors are involved in the development of this disease and investigating preventative interventions for women are vitally important."
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