Cancer's bite could be reduced by low dose aspirin

According to a new study published in the Lancet, low-dose aspirin may considerably reduce the chance of dying from cancer. The research re-reviewed eight studies that included over 25,000 participants. While the research is promising, you will find significant spaces and doctors do not immediately recommend starting an aspirin regimen.

Aspirin may lower cancer chance

The meta-study published today was completed by a team of British researchers. They said that taking aspirin every day for five years reduces the chance of cancer being the reason for dying. These are 75 milligram tablets. Deaths from lung and prostate cancer were decreased about 20 percent, gastrointestinal cancers by 54 percent and esophageal cancers by 60 percent. There were day-to-day low-dose aspirin taken by individuals. Between 5 and 20 years was how long each did it. The cardiovascular effects while taking daily aspirin was the original purpose of the research.

Not recommending regular aspirin

Though the study shows significant and dramatic improvement within the prospect of surviving some cancers, the researchers do not yet recommend it as a daily regimen. ”Proof of principle” needs to be found with more studies. Also, the meta-study only had a few subjects in it. Thinning of blood, heartburn, loss of balance and ringing within the ears can all be caused by aspirin although it's considered relatively safe. "I definitely think we wouldn't want to make any treatment decisions depending on this research," said Dr. Raymond DuBois, a provost of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Aspirin-cancer research problems

The exact same group of British researchers did both studies that showed the link between aspirin and improved cancer survival rates. The studies are not complete though. There are spaces in them. Only 33 percent were women within the main meta-analysis. That is out of 25,000 subjects. Additionally, data was absent on the effect of taking low-dose aspirin on less-common cancers, for instance brain and stomach cancer. The group of patients may be statistically skewed since the benefit of aspirin on the heart was what the studies were at first working on.

The use of aspirin on cancer may be something really exciting to begin working with. Unfortunately, it isn’t something that you probably should start trying as there isn’t almost enough research in it to say it works or is safe.

Articles cited

Washington Post

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