Two new studies suggest that taking aspirin daily may significantly reduce the risk of many cancers.
The research, conducted at the University of Oxford looked at data from tens of thousands of men and women. One of the studies found that the risk of developing cancer was reduced by almost 25% when compared with a control group not taking aspirin. After five years, the risk of dying of cancer was reduced by 37% among those taking aspirin. A second study found that over six and a half years on average, taking a daily aspirin reduced the risk of metastatic cancer by 36% and the risk of adenocarcinomas – common solid cancers including lung, colon and prostate cancer by 46%.”What really jumps out at you in terms of prevention is the striking 75 percent reduction in esophageal cancer and a 40 to 50 percent reduction in colorectal cancer” according to Dr. Peter M. Rothwell, lead researcher of the Oxford studies.
While aspirin may increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic strokes, the new studies found that the risk of bleeding in aspirin users lessened over time, and the risk of death from brain bleeds was actually lower in the aspirin users group.
Dr. Andrew Chan of Harvard Medical School said “If you start to include the possibility that aspirin reduces the cancer risk beyond colon cancer, then the risk-benefit ratio shifts quite a bit, especially for those cancers where we have little to offer in the way of screening and early diagnosis.” The New York Times 3-21-12
Taking a daily aspirin is known to reduce the possibility of heart attack, stroke and headache……..