Aspirin has once again shown it is the best bargain in the pharmacy. For more than 100 years aspirin has been a gold standard for pain relief and fever reduction. Research has also shown that aspirin can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Now a large study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrates that aspirin has benefits for people diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The participants were health professionals who were diagnosed with stage 1, 2 or 3 colorectal cancer and were followed for roughly 12 years. Those who took aspirin after diagnosis were 30 percent less likely to die from their cancer and about 20 percent less likely to die from any cause during the study.
Previous research has shown that aspirin and similar non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may reduce the risk of developing cancer of the colon, rectum, prostate, pancreas, ovaries, lung or breast. This is the first long-term study to suggest that aspirin may also be beneficial in helping people survive their cancers.
[Journal of the American Medical Association, Aug, 12, 2009]
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/302/6/649
