Low doses of aspirin can be effective in reducing cancer risks, according to a recent study led by John Baron, a professor at the Dartmouth Medical School. The study indicated a link between low doses of aspirin and a reduced risk of andenomas, benign tumors that can lead to colorectal cancer.
Colon cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed form of cancer in the United States, and the second most common cause of cancer death.
Baron, a professor of Community and Family Medicine, led a team of researchers in a study of over 1100 patients, all of whom had previously been diagnosed with adenomas. The patients were chosen randomly to be treated with a daily dose of either 325 mg. of aspirin, 81 mg. of aspirin or a placebo.
The results were somewhat surprising: while aspirin was found to have a significant effect on decreasing the risk of developing adenomas, the 81 mg. of aspirin dosage (approximately the size of baby aspirin) demonstrated a greater impact then the larger tablet. The smaller doses were shown to decrease the risk of small adenomas by 19 percent and of more advanced tumors by over 40 percent.
The link between aspirin and cancer has been documented before. A Russian study in 1999 revealed that aspirin may protect against stomach cancer and a recent study in New York concluded that aspirin use could reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Animal testing in the past has also led researchers to search for an inverse relationship between cancerous growths and regular aspirin use. Such precedents prompted Baron to perform his studies, which supported previous findings.
Despite the conclusions of his study, Dr. Baron is cautious in recommending aspirin as a preventative method to avoid colon cancer. Aspirin thins the blood and can prevent proper clotting, hence its frequent use among heart disease patients. This reaction can sometimes lead to serious internal bleeding, particularly in the elderly population who are most susceptible to this type of cancer.
Dr. Baron recently co-authored a companion study that also appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study involved patients with a history of colorectal cancer, and tested their reactions to a placebo against 325 milligrams of aspirin. The results were consistent with the above-mentioned study, concluding that the larger aspirins reduced the risk of adenomas by 35 percent.
The experiment was conducted in conjunction with several other medical schools around the United States and Canada over the last seven years, and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
