Daily dose of aspirin can cut cancer risk, say studies
New research shows that taking daily low-dose pills for just three years can reduce your risk of cancer by about a quarter
Taking daily low-dose aspirin pills for just three years can reduce your risk of cancer by about 23% for men and 25% for women. Photograph: Scot Frei/Corbis
Taking a low dose of aspirin each day may prevent cancer and stop it spreading, according to three papers to be published in leading medical journals on Wednesday. It could also possibly have a use as a treatment for the disease.
Dr Peter Rothwell from Oxford University and the John Radcliffe hospital and colleagues, the authors of the studies in the Lancet and Lancet Oncology have previously shown that long-term daily aspirin, for 10 years or so, reduces the risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer and other common cancers, but some experts have voiced concerns over potential long-term side-effects, because aspirin can cause stomach bleeding.
The new studies reinforce aspirin's claim to be a weapon against cancer. They show that taking daily low-dose pills for just three years can reduce your risk of cancer by about a quarter – 23% for men and 25% for women. The risk of dying of cancer is cut by 15% – and by 37% for those who take aspirin for longer than five years.
All the data came from 51 trials giving low-dose aspirin to people at risk of a heart attack or stroke. Aspirin thins the blood, making it less likely to clot.
The second study found that aspirin helped prevent the spread of cancer – or metastasis – to other organs, which is a serious threat to the patient's survival. Aspirin reduced the proportion of cancers that spread instead of staying localised by 48%.
The drug also reduced the risk of being diagnosed with a solid cancer that had already spread by 31%. For patients initially diagnosed with a local cancer, the risk of later metastasis was reduced by 55%.
Aspirin's ability to slow metastasis may be linked to its effect on platelets, the clotting bodies in the blood, said the scientists. The role of platelets in promoting cancer spread in mice was reported more than 40 years ago.
Rothwell said the effect of aspirin on the spread of cancer was unique and might be useful in treatment. "Previously, no drug has ever been shown to reduce metastasis as a specific effect," he said. "It opens up a completely new therapeutic area."
Many people take a low 75-milligram dose of aspirin each day to guard against heart attacks and strokes.
Experts advise against this for people who are at no special risk of heart and artery disease because of the possible long-term side-effects of aspirin. The drug, which prevents blood clotting, can increase the likelihood of internal bleeding in the stomach, intestines and brain.
In some people, such as pregnant women at risk of high blood pressure, the benefits of taking aspirin are said to outweigh the risks. However, to date, cancer has not been part of this calculation.
Rothwell said it was time to think again. "It's certainly time to add prevention of cancer into the analysis of the balance of risk and benefits of aspirin. So far, all the guidelines have just been based on the prevention of strokes and heart attacks.
"This research really shows that the cancer benefit is as large, if not larger, than the benefit in terms of preventing heart attacks and strokes. It does change the equation quite drastically."
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "We are currently considering how to ensure the public gets the best advice on this issue, given that there are risks as well as potential benefits from taking aspirin."
Rothwell suggested that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which issues treatment guidelines for the NHS, should issue advice on the use of aspirin to combat cancer.
"I think it would be helpful in the fullness of time if a body like Nice, for example, would come up with an independent recommendation on the basis of all the evidence that has been gathered," he said. "That would give people confidence."
Nice has never been asked by the department to develop guidance on aspirin and cancer prevention.
But the drug is mentioned in the latest Nice guidance on colorectal cancer. It says that "regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), notably aspirin, seems to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer".
Two American experts commenting in The Lancet pointed out some limitations to the research. Dr Andrew Chan and Dr Nancy Cook, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, said the analysis did not include findings from two large US trials that failed to show an anti-cancer benefit from taking aspirin every other day. Some analyses were also limited by the quality of available data.
However the US experts concluded: "These caveats notwithstanding, Rothwell and colleagues show quite convincingly that aspirin seems to reduce cancer incidence and death."
Sarah Boseley
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 March 2012 22.30 GMT
© 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
Daily dose of aspirin can cut cancer risk, say studies | Science | The Guardian
New research shows that taking daily low-dose pills for just three years can reduce your risk of cancer by about a quarter
Taking daily low-dose aspirin pills for just three years can reduce your risk of cancer by about 23% for men and 25% for women. Photograph: Scot Frei/Corbis
Taking a low dose of aspirin each day may prevent cancer and stop it spreading, according to three papers to be published in leading medical journals on Wednesday. It could also possibly have a use as a treatment for the disease.
Dr Peter Rothwell from Oxford University and the John Radcliffe hospital and colleagues, the authors of the studies in the Lancet and Lancet Oncology have previously shown that long-term daily aspirin, for 10 years or so, reduces the risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer and other common cancers, but some experts have voiced concerns over potential long-term side-effects, because aspirin can cause stomach bleeding.
The new studies reinforce aspirin's claim to be a weapon against cancer. They show that taking daily low-dose pills for just three years can reduce your risk of cancer by about a quarter – 23% for men and 25% for women. The risk of dying of cancer is cut by 15% – and by 37% for those who take aspirin for longer than five years.
All the data came from 51 trials giving low-dose aspirin to people at risk of a heart attack or stroke. Aspirin thins the blood, making it less likely to clot.
The second study found that aspirin helped prevent the spread of cancer – or metastasis – to other organs, which is a serious threat to the patient's survival. Aspirin reduced the proportion of cancers that spread instead of staying localised by 48%.
The drug also reduced the risk of being diagnosed with a solid cancer that had already spread by 31%. For patients initially diagnosed with a local cancer, the risk of later metastasis was reduced by 55%.
Aspirin's ability to slow metastasis may be linked to its effect on platelets, the clotting bodies in the blood, said the scientists. The role of platelets in promoting cancer spread in mice was reported more than 40 years ago.
Rothwell said the effect of aspirin on the spread of cancer was unique and might be useful in treatment. "Previously, no drug has ever been shown to reduce metastasis as a specific effect," he said. "It opens up a completely new therapeutic area."
Many people take a low 75-milligram dose of aspirin each day to guard against heart attacks and strokes.
Experts advise against this for people who are at no special risk of heart and artery disease because of the possible long-term side-effects of aspirin. The drug, which prevents blood clotting, can increase the likelihood of internal bleeding in the stomach, intestines and brain.
In some people, such as pregnant women at risk of high blood pressure, the benefits of taking aspirin are said to outweigh the risks. However, to date, cancer has not been part of this calculation.
Rothwell said it was time to think again. "It's certainly time to add prevention of cancer into the analysis of the balance of risk and benefits of aspirin. So far, all the guidelines have just been based on the prevention of strokes and heart attacks.
"This research really shows that the cancer benefit is as large, if not larger, than the benefit in terms of preventing heart attacks and strokes. It does change the equation quite drastically."
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "We are currently considering how to ensure the public gets the best advice on this issue, given that there are risks as well as potential benefits from taking aspirin."
Rothwell suggested that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which issues treatment guidelines for the NHS, should issue advice on the use of aspirin to combat cancer.
"I think it would be helpful in the fullness of time if a body like Nice, for example, would come up with an independent recommendation on the basis of all the evidence that has been gathered," he said. "That would give people confidence."
Nice has never been asked by the department to develop guidance on aspirin and cancer prevention.
But the drug is mentioned in the latest Nice guidance on colorectal cancer. It says that "regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), notably aspirin, seems to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer".
Two American experts commenting in The Lancet pointed out some limitations to the research. Dr Andrew Chan and Dr Nancy Cook, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, said the analysis did not include findings from two large US trials that failed to show an anti-cancer benefit from taking aspirin every other day. Some analyses were also limited by the quality of available data.
However the US experts concluded: "These caveats notwithstanding, Rothwell and colleagues show quite convincingly that aspirin seems to reduce cancer incidence and death."
Sarah Boseley
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 March 2012 22.30 GMT
© 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
Daily dose of aspirin can cut cancer risk, say studies | Science | The Guardian
