Low-Dose Aspirin and Longer Colon Cancer Survival

Low-Dose Aspirin and Longer Colon Cancer Survival

Study found most benefit seen in those taking the drug before their cancer diagnosis

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Amy Norton

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Colon cancer patients who take low-dose aspirin may have a somewhat better chance of surviving the disease, a large study hints.

Norwegian researchers found that among over 23,000 colon cancer patients, those who used aspirin were 15 percent less likely to die of the disease over the next several years.

But these findings alone don't prove that aspirin prolongs colon cancer patients' lives. There could be other reasons that aspirin users had better survival odds, according to lead researcher Dr. Kjetil Tasken, a professor of medicine at the University of Oslo, in Norway.

Still, he said, there is a large body of evidence that low-dose aspirin can help cut people's risk of developing colon cancer in the first place.

In fact, recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say that adults in their 50s and 60s may want to consider taking low-dose aspirin to reduce their risk of colon cancer (and heart disease and stroke).

What's unclear, Tasken explained, is whether people who already have the disease can benefit from adding aspirin to standard treatment.

Based on the current findings, that possibility is "well worth pursuing," Tasken said. But he stressed that clinical trials -- where researchers directly test aspirin as a colon cancer treatment -- are needed to know for sure.

Those trials are already underway, and Tasken said that patients should wait for the results before turning to aspirin on their own. Aspirin does have risks, including bleeding in the stomach or brain, the study said.

The findings are based on records from more than 23,000 Norwegian adults. They were all diagnosed with colon cancer between 2004 and 2011. More than one-quarter were prescribed daily low-dose aspirin for more than six months after their diagnosis. And, most had been taking aspirin before their diagnosis, too.

In Norway, low-dose aspirin is available only by prescription, at doses of 75 milligrams (mg) or 160 mg a day. It's usually prescribed for lowering the risks of heart disease and stroke, Tasken said.

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