Two aspirins a day can help prevent colon cancer, 10-year study shows - Taking aspirin every day can cut the risk of colon cancer by more than 60%, a 10-year trial has found.
Scientists now claim the case is proved for giving aspirin to patients at risk from a family history of colon cancers.
The worldwide trial compared people who took two aspirin a day with those who took a placebo pill.
The study, published by The Lancet, involved 43 centres in 16 countries and followed nearly 1,000 patients.
Benefits: Pills can help prevent colon cancer
All patients were carriers of Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that programmes a person to developing colo-rectal cancer and a range of other solid-organ cancers.
At least one in 1,000 carries the disorder which accounts for about one in 30 cases of bowel cancer.
First results in 2007 showed no significant effects from taking aspirin.
In a follow-up in 2010 of the 861 patients, it was found 19 of those who took aspirin at various times between 1999 and 2005 had developed colon cancers, compared to 34 who took the placebo – a 44% reduction. But in those who took aspirin every day for two years the results were even more dramatic – a 63% reduction in cancer.
There were only 10 bowel cancer cases in the aspirin group, compared with 23 in the placebo group.
Lead scientist Prof Sir John Burn, of Newcastle University, said: “We set out to find out if aspirin prevents cancer and we have found that it does. There could be 30,000 people with Lynch syndrome in the UK who might benefit from aspirin treatment.”
However, he said that sufferers should consult first with their GP.
He said: “Aspirin is known to bring with it a risk of stomach complaints, including ulcers. However, if there is a strong family history of cancer then people may want to weigh up the cost-benefits.
“If you give two aspirin a day for two years to people with hereditary bowel cancer then after five years their risk is cut by more than half.
“If we were to put them all on two aspirin a day now, in the next 30 years or so we would prevent 10,000 cancers. On the other hand, this would cause around 1,000 ulcers, so there’s a trade-off.”
Science minister David Willetts said: “This has potential to save thousands of lives.”
Wonder drug
300mg is the standard size of a UK tablet.
It is used long-term at low doses to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.
Low doses given after a heart attack may lower risk of another.
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/10/28/aspirin-cuts-cancer-by-60-in-those-at-risk-study-shows-115875-23519739/#ixzz1c5Ba6A90
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/10/28/aspirin-cuts-cancer-by-60-in-those-at-risk-study-shows-115875-23519739/#ixzz1c5BWPROR
Scientists now claim the case is proved for giving aspirin to patients at risk from a family history of colon cancers.
The worldwide trial compared people who took two aspirin a day with those who took a placebo pill.
The study, published by The Lancet, involved 43 centres in 16 countries and followed nearly 1,000 patients.
Benefits: Pills can help prevent colon cancer
All patients were carriers of Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that programmes a person to developing colo-rectal cancer and a range of other solid-organ cancers.
At least one in 1,000 carries the disorder which accounts for about one in 30 cases of bowel cancer.
First results in 2007 showed no significant effects from taking aspirin.
In a follow-up in 2010 of the 861 patients, it was found 19 of those who took aspirin at various times between 1999 and 2005 had developed colon cancers, compared to 34 who took the placebo – a 44% reduction. But in those who took aspirin every day for two years the results were even more dramatic – a 63% reduction in cancer.
There were only 10 bowel cancer cases in the aspirin group, compared with 23 in the placebo group.
Lead scientist Prof Sir John Burn, of Newcastle University, said: “We set out to find out if aspirin prevents cancer and we have found that it does. There could be 30,000 people with Lynch syndrome in the UK who might benefit from aspirin treatment.”
However, he said that sufferers should consult first with their GP.
He said: “Aspirin is known to bring with it a risk of stomach complaints, including ulcers. However, if there is a strong family history of cancer then people may want to weigh up the cost-benefits.
“If you give two aspirin a day for two years to people with hereditary bowel cancer then after five years their risk is cut by more than half.
“If we were to put them all on two aspirin a day now, in the next 30 years or so we would prevent 10,000 cancers. On the other hand, this would cause around 1,000 ulcers, so there’s a trade-off.”
Science minister David Willetts said: “This has potential to save thousands of lives.”
Wonder drug
300mg is the standard size of a UK tablet.
It is used long-term at low doses to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.
Low doses given after a heart attack may lower risk of another.
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/10/28/aspirin-cuts-cancer-by-60-in-those-at-risk-study-shows-115875-23519739/#ixzz1c5Ba6A90
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/10/28/aspirin-cuts-cancer-by-60-in-those-at-risk-study-shows-115875-23519739/#ixzz1c5BWPROR
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