An aspirin a day may keep cancer at bay. That is the conclusion from a massive new analysis of 200 aspirin studies. Epidemiologists evaluated the benefits and harms of taking aspirin for at least 10 years at different ages. They found that people who start taking low doses of aspirin daily when they are between the ages of 50 and 65 can significantly lower their risk of colorectal, stomach and esophageal cancer. They would need to take the aspirin for at least five years and would get even more benefit by taking it for 10 years.
There are also risks of taking aspirin, even at low doses. Bleeding ulcers or bleeding into the brain can be lethal side effects of the pain reliever. As people age, they become significantly more vulnerable to such adverse reactions. These scientists estimate, however, that the overall benefits outweigh harms from aspirin for the population as a whole. The lead author told the BBC that taking aspirin is the next best thing after quitting smoking and losing weight for cancer prevention.
[Annals of Oncology, Aug. 5, 2014]
The People’s Pharmacy perspective holds that you should check with your primary care provider if you are taking aspirin every day. Considering your risk of cancer and your history of ulcers will help to establish if this recommendation makes sense for you. If it does, it is hard to beat the price!
