December 8, 2010

independent expert reaction to new study on the protective effect of aspirin against some cancers

This research, published in the Lancet, investigates how the daily use of low levels of aspirin mitigates the risk of some types of cancers.

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

“”Previous research has established that aspirin can help prevent development of bowel cancer, but its beneficial effects on other cancers were not known in full.

“This study provides strong evidence that taking regular aspirin for more than 5 years can help prevent development of a number of other forms of cancer, including lung, pancreas, oesophageal and prostate cancers. It also indicates that the longer aspirin is taken for, the greater the benefit.

“It is important that people know aspirin can cause dangerous bleeding in the stomach in some patients. As a consequence some patients are not able to take aspirin, and people wishing to take aspirin should first discuss it with their GP.

“But this study remains a very important new development in our understanding of how to prevent cancer in general. It is further proof that aspirin is, by a long way, the most amazing drug in the world.””