Study Suggests We Take Aspirin to Prevent Colon Cancer

A new study suggests we take aspirin to prevent colon cancer.

The research team followed more than 1,000 people with Lynch syndrome which is an inherited genetic mutation that makes them susceptible to a range of cancers including colon. The syndrome accounts for approximately 5 per cent of all colon cancers.

The study, led by scientists at Newcastle University, was conducted over four years with half of the study participants given aspirin daily while the other half received placebo pills. From the group receiving aspirin, six people developed colon cancer compared to 16 in the group given placebos.

John Burn, of Newcastle University’s Institute of Human Genetics, said the researchers were excited by the results, and added it was hoped they might lead to other effective treatments.

Aspirin is a cheap drug used to treat minor aches and fevers and to prevent heart attacks and strokes. It does not, however, come without side effects. It can irritate the stomach and intestines and cause major bleeding. As with any other medication, it should be used under the guidance of a doctor.

Findings from the study that suggest we take aspirin to prevent colon cancer were presented September 20th in Berlin at the annual congresses of the European Cancer Organization and the European Society for Medical Oncology.