University of Hawaii researchers are hoping two new clinical trials will improve the detection and treatment of breast cancer, the second leading cause of death among women in the islands.

The first trial, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, involves post-­treatment patients taking aspirin daily for five years to determine whether it decreases the chances of cancer coming back for those “at significant risk of recurrence.”

“There is significant data to support the potential benefits of aspirin in breast cancer survivors. Aspirin is inexpensive and widely available, so this treatment could be used worldwide to improve breast cancer outcomes,” said Dr. Jessica Rhee, the UH Cancer Center’s Clinical Trials Office medical director, in a news release. “The results will help determine if aspirin can become part of routine care for breast cancer patients.”

An average 1,107 women in Hawaii are diagnosed with breast cancer, and about 125 die from the disease annually, according to the Cancer Center.

The second trial will measure the benefits of tomosynthesis, also known as 3D mammography, versus standard 2D tests used in routine care. The 3D imaging test was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012; however, 2D mammography has been the primary method of detecting breast cancer since 2005. The trial will determine which exam is better at detecting the disease and reducing deaths.

“These trials are very important because breast cancer is a significant issue in Hawaii. Racial and ethnic minority groups are severely under-represented in breast cancer clinical trials in the rest of the United States, so participation of patients from Hawaii is doubly important,” UH Cancer Center Director Randall Holcombe said in the release.