A growing body of evidence has shown that people who regularly take aspirin have a lower risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) and are less likely to die if they do develop the disease.
A 2020 meta-analysis, for instance, found that 325 mg of daily aspirin — the typical dose in a single tablet — conferred a 35% reduced risk of developing CRC, and a highly cited The Lancet study from 2010 found that a low dose of daily aspirin reduced the incidence of colon cancer by 24% and colon cancer deaths by 35% over 20 years.
More than 70,000 people are currently participating in more than 2 dozen clinical studies worldwide, putting aspirin through its paces as an intervention in CRC.
The researchers found that regular aspirin use did not appear to affect colorectal tumor stage at diagnosis, but tumor grading was significantly lower overall, especially in patients with BRAF mutations. Regular aspirin users were also less likely to have nodal metastases and metastatic lymph nodes, and this effect was more pronounced in patients with proximal (right-sided) colon cancer vs distal (left-sided).
New data suggest that aspirin helps activate the immune system, which helps explain its potential chemo preventive effect in CRC.
There is a risk of bleeding associated with daily aspirin use. Before starting aspirin therapy, discuss with your primary care doctor is this is right for you.
