Aspirin’s Effect in Preventing Colorectal Cancer Has Been Proven

Aspirin, whose benefits we have known for years and which is used at low doses for cardiovascular disease prevention, has now been proven to protect against colorectal cancers too.

Atherosclerotic plaques developing inside vessels over years detach from their surface over time. Blood clots cover these detached plaques, and the resulting structure reduces blood flow. Aspirin prevents clotting and does not allow blood flow to decline. This facilitates oxygen supply to the heart muscle, brain and other tissues. Consequently, because blood flow rate does not decline, aspirin helps prevent cardiovascular disease. The mechanism in preventing colorectal cancer development is not yet clear, but aspirin is thought beneficial through its anti-inflammatory effect.

Evidence that low-dose aspirin once daily (100 mg or less) protects against cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer was published on 12 April 2016 in the American journal of internal medicine. Thus, the recommendation to use aspirin for colon cancer prevention entered the American Cancer Prevention Service (USPSTF- US Preventive Service Task Force) Guideline.

The research was conducted among people whose risk of cardiovascular disease within 10 years exceeded 10%. Those benefiting most were found to be aged 50 to 69 and those starting aspirin early. Accordingly, daily aspirin at 100 mg or lower was found to reduce colorectal cancer risk as well as cardiovascular disease in people aged 50-69. The same study observed limited effects in people under 50 and over 70, with insufficient evidence to recommend use.

In 2011, when the study’s preliminary report was presented, more than half of deaths in America were reported due to heart disease, stroke and bowel cancer. Finding in the final results that cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer can be effectively prevented is therefore extremely important.

Aspirin’s cancer-preventing effect has been a current and intriguing topic in recent years. In people without bleeding risk (without stomach ulcers or recent bleeding, or not using drugs increasing bleeding risk), aspirin has been shown to help protect against many other cancers such as prostate and breast cancer. However, remember that long-term use may increase bleeding risk. Therefore, even for prevention, it must be used with your doctor’s knowledge and supervision.