Aspirin reduces cancer death in colon cancer patients by 29 percent

CHICAGO (AP) -- Score another win for the humble aspirin. A study suggests colon cancer patients who took the dirt-cheap wonder drug reduced their risk of death from the disease by nearly 30 percent.

Aspirin already is recommended for preventing heart attacks and strokes, along with its traditional use for relief of minor aches and pains. Its merit in colon cancer prevention has been tempered by its side effects, bleeding from irritation of the stomach or intestines.

The new study suggests patients who already have colon cancer may benefit from taking aspirin along with surgery and chemotherapy. In a separate analysis of a subgroup of patients, only those with the most common type of tumor, those that overproduce the Cox-2 enzyme, saw a benefit.

About one-third of the tumors could be tested for Cox-2. Aspirin helped only those patients whose tumors tested positive for the enzyme. That makes sense, Chan said, because aspirin blocks the enzyme, which is thought to play a role in cancer's spread.


Aspirin Shows Promise for Colon Cancer Patients