In a new review study, researchers found that regular aspirin use is linked to a lower risk for colorectal and other digestive tract cancers.
The research was conducted by a team at the Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS in Milan.
The team did a review and meta-analysis of all studies evaluating the link between aspirin and cancers of the digestive tract sites.
They found that regular aspirin use is linked to a reduced risk for colorectal cancer, squamous cell esophageal cancer, adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and gastric cardia, stomach cancer, hepatobiliary tract cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
There was no association with head and neck cancer.
The findings were similar in men and women.
In addition, an aspirin dose of 75 to 100 mg/day lowers the risk for colorectal cancer by 10%, while a dose of 325 mg/day is linked to a 35% risk reduction.
There was an inverse link noted between the duration of aspirin use and risk reduction for all cancers, except head and neck cancers.
The team says that taking aspirin for the prevention of bowel cancer, or any other cancers, should only be done in consultation with a doctor, who can take account of the person’s individual risk.
The lead author of the study is Cristina Bosetti, Ph.D., from the Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS in Milan.
The study is published in the Annals of Oncology.
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