Can aspirin prevent cancer?

By Lisa Collier Cool Jul 17, 2013 31 Recommend

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A 2,000-year-old drug that costs just pennies could be the latest weapon against cancer. New studies link aspirin use to lower risk for at least eight types of cancer: those of the breast, colon, esophagus, stomach, prostate, bladder, ovary and skin. Harvard researchers reported that women who took low-dose aspirin (100 mg) every other day had a 20 percent drop in colon cancer risk, compared to women who took a placebo, according to new data from the Womens Health Study. The findings were published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Evidence that aspirin may have cancer-protective properties is both pervasive across medical literature and increasingly robust, says Marc Penn, MD, PhD, FACC, co-founder and chief medical officer of Cleveland HeartLab. Earlier studies have reported that 75 mg a day of aspirin may cut colon cancer risk by 17 to 28 percent, and also lower the risk of death after a colon cancer diagnosis by 30 to 40 percent. The study adds to many other new findings suggesting that this ancient remedy may be a remarkably affordable wonder drug that could help prevent cancer or stop the disease in its tracks. Here are a few particularly noteworthy new studies: Breast cancer: In a Scottish study involving 116,181 women, those who took aspirin regularly for 3 to 5 years had a 30 percent drop in breast cancer risk, while a 40 percent risk reduction was seen after more than 5 years of aspirin use. Skin cancer: Women who take aspirin regularly have a 21 percent decrease in risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, compared to nonusers, according to a 12-year study of nearly 60,000 women, ages 50 to 79, published in the journal Cancer. After 5 or more years of regular use, risk for melanoma fell by 30 percent.

 Prostate cancer. Taking aspirin may help men with prostate cancer live longer, by inhibiting the cancers growth and spread, according to a 2012 study of nearly 6,000 men published in Journal of Clinical Oncology. The ten-year death rate from the disease was 3 percent among the aspirin users versus 8 percent in non-users. Other common cancers. Daily aspirin use for prevention of heart attacks seems to have an extra benefit: lower 20-year risk of developing or dying from several common cancers, including a 42 percent reduction in colon cancer and reduced risk for esophageal, gastric, biliary, and breast cancer, according to an analysis of more than 41 trials published in Lancet. Warning Signs of Breast Cancer

Why Does Aspirin Reduce Cancer Risk?

Also known as acetylsalicylic acid, aspirin has two effects that may explain why people who take it regularly for heart attack prevention are less likely to get cancer, says Dr. Penn, who is also director of cardiovascular research at Summa Cardiovascular Institute in Akron, Ohio. Aspirin decreases inflammation, which has been shown to play a role in cancer development, and also blocks platelet function, reports Dr. Penn. Platelets carry significant amounts of growth factors that may contribute to tumor growth in areas of tissue injury.

Slowing Down DNA Damage in Patients at High Risk for Cancer

Another new study offers surprising insight into how aspirin may combat cancer. The researchers discovered that the headache-and-heart-attack prevention pill may slow down DNA mutations in abnormal cells in people with a pre-cancerous disorder called Barretts esophagus. People with this disorder are at increased risk for esophageal cancer. In a new study published in PLOS Genetics, the researchers analyzed biopsies

from 13 patients with this disorder and tracked their health for 6 to 19 years. The scientists found that on average, in years when the patients took aspirin daily, they accumulated new DNA damage ten times more slowly than they did in years when they werent taking the drug. The team plans additional research to explore the theory that a spirins antiinflammatory powers are why it reduces DNA mutations that could lead to cancer. 7 Simple Steps to Lower Your Risk of Cancer

Aspirins Amazing Benefits Through the Ages

Aspirins history spans 2,000 years, with Hippocratesthe father of medicine advising salicylate-rich willow bark to relieve aches and pains and as an analgesic for women in labor. Today, low-dose aspirin is commonly prescribed to reduce heart attack risk in people with cardiovascular disease and also appears to protect memory and mental function in older adults, a 2012 study published in BMJ Open reported. The Alzheimers Research and Prevention Foundation reports that the cheap, over-the-counter headache pill may lower risk for Alzheimers by an impressive 55 percent. However, aspirin, even in low doses, can also have harmful side effects, including increased danger of GI bleeding. Patients at increased risk for cancer and those considering aspirin therapy for other reasons, such as heart attack preventionshould discuss the risks and benefits with a healthcare provider, cautions Dr. Penn.