Top > Health > 2007 > April > 2007-04-22

Study Finds Aspirin Prevents Cancer

Many studies have already showed that Aspirin, one of the most used drugs in the world, is successful in preventing cardiovascular disease. For this reason many older patients are prescribed an Aspirin daily, by their doctors. Now, a new large-scale study shows that Aspirin also prevents cancer related deaths and other diseases. Aspirin, which has been sold for over a century, belongs to a family of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It is made of acetylsalicylic acid, which acts on several mechanisms related to inflammation and clotting of blood. The drug is used to relieve pain, reduce fever, relieve symptoms of arthritis and to prevent blood clots.

The new study, conducted by Dr. Andrew Chan and his colleagues at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass., analyzed the data gathered from over 80 thousand women, over the past 20 years. "The take-home message is that aspirin might have anti-cancer effects, but can also have adverse effects such as gastric bleeding. One should speak to his or her doctor about the risks and benefits of aspirin use," Dr. Aditya Bardia of Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota.

The study`s findings found that of the women participating in the research 45,305 women didn`t use Aspirin, 29,132 women took Aspirin at low or medium doses and 5,002 women took Aspirin at high, daily doses. After analyzing the data, it was found that those who took Aspirin had a 25% lower chance of dieing of any cause. This group also had a 38% lower chance to die of cardiovascular disease and a 12% lower chance of dieing of cancer. Researchers found that Aspirin`s protective effects against cardiovascular disease, begins to take effect after 5 years, and the protection from cancer takes effect after 10 years of Aspirin ingestion. In an article published by the researchers in the medical journal "Archives of Internal Medicine," the researchers said further research was needed to thoroughly understand how Aspirin is able to lower death rates so dramatically.