September 16, 2010

expert reaction to new research on aspirin and bowel cancer, as published in the BMJ specialist journal Gut

The study suggested that a daily low dose of aspirin could reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer.

Steve Williamson, Consultant Pharmacist in Cancer, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said:

“This study adds to the weight of evidence already around that daily low dose aspirin can reduce risk of developing bowel cancer. It’s encouraging for patients to see studies like this showing the benefits of medicines that are already available in preventing cancer. However people must remember that aspirin even at its lowest dose isn’t suitable for everyone, and patients should always talk to their doctor or pharmacist about the potential benefits of taking aspirin.”

Prof Alastair Watson, Chair in Translational Medicine, University of East Anglia, said:

“It has been known for some time that aspirin may reduce the risk of bowel cancer, but the effect of dose and duration remain unclear. This study shows that taking low dose aspirin – 75mg daily, the standard clinical dose for heart attack prevention – reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer; and the reduction in risk appears to be similar to that achieved by bowel cancer screening programmes. It is worth noting, however, that although taking low dose aspirin over prolonged periods is fairly safe, it can lead to serious side effects in a significant minority of people. Members of the public should therefore discuss these issues with their GP before taking aspirin over prolonged periods.”

‘Effect of aspirin and NSAIDs on risk and survival from colorectal cancer’, Dunlop et al, published in the journal Gut on Thursday 16 Sept 2010.