Taking aspirin can reduce the risk of cancer by 3 percent. A quarter of aspirin a day can also reduce the risk of bowel cancer by 19 percent, according to a study.
Known to be a pain killer since Ancient Egyptian times, aspirin was originally extracted from willow bark to help mothers endure childbirth. Due to its ability to reduce inflammation and to thin blood, researchers had found that aspirin may also reduce the threat of diseases such as cancer.
A study observed 136,000 people in the span of 32 years. The participants were asked every two years to answer questions about their diet, health, lifestyle and other factors.
According to scientists from Harvard University, middle-aged people who take painkillers regularly were less likely to be diagnosed with any kind of cancer. Taking 81 mg of aspirin a day or roughly a quarter of the standard 300 g tablet for at least six years can cut the risk of cancer by 3 percent.
Aspirin use also lowered the potential for bowel cancer by 19 percent. Surprisingly, cheap pills were particularly effective at reducing the risk of cancers in the digestive system including tumors of the stomach, intestines, pancreas and gullet, according to Daily Mail.
Published in the medical journal JAMA Oncology, the study predicted that the regular consumption of aspire can help prevent 30,000 tumors in a year in the United Stated alone. Harvard scientists claim that when aspirin is combined with screening programs, this could be a cost-effective way to save thousands of lives.
"It would be very reasonable for individuals to discuss with their physicians the advisability of taking aspirin to prevent gastrointestinal cancer, particularly if they have risk factors such as a family history," according to Professor Chan, lead author of the study and cancer expert from the Massachusetts General Hospital. Although the author does not particularly know how this is possible, it may be because aspirin reduces cyclooxygenase enzyme levels, which promotes the formation of tumors.
Experts claim that people with family histories of cancer should consider taking low doses of aspirin regularly. Low does pills, also known as baby aspirins, are often prescribed to patients with risk of heart diseases.
However, several limitations are present in this research such as the potential for unmeasured health and lifestyle factors that may have confounded the results, according to NHS. Chan still advised precaution since pills make cause side effects such as internal bleeding which may not be fatal but will require medical treatment.
