People who take aspirin every day may be at lower risk of developing colon cancer, a study suggests.
The common painkiller appears to supercharge immune cells in the digestive tract which help fend off tumor cells from multiplying and spreading.
Other studies have linked aspirin use to an up to 40 percent lower risk of colon cancer.
Dr Mona Rezapour, a gastroenterologist at UCLA, said in response to previous research: ‘We know that aspirin reduces the risk of colon cancer.
For the study, researchers analyzed tissue samples from 238 colon cancer patients who were diagnosed with the disease between 2015 and 2019.
They were also found to have fewer cancerous cells around the lymph nodes – small bean-shaped structures that are part of the body’s immune system – and more immune cells circulating within tumors.
The study is not the first to suggest aspirin can prevent colon cancer, with other papers suggesting it slashes the risk by up to 40 percent via cutting inflammation.
It comes amid a mystery spike in colon cancer cases among adults under 50 years old, striking celebrities including Chadwick Boseman — who played King T’Challa in the Black Panther.
According to a study, daily aspirin users may have a decreased risk of colon cancer.
The popular painkiller seems to boost immune cells in the digestive system, which aid in preventing the growth and metastasis of tumor cells.
According to other research, taking aspirin can reduce the risk of colon cancer by up to 40%.
Yet because the over-the-counter medication can cause stomach ulcers, internal bleeding, and even strokes, doctors do not advise using it as a preventative measure.
UCLA gastroenterologist Dr. Mona Rezapour responded to earlier studies by saying, “We know that aspirin reduces the risk of colon cancer.”.
However, because the advantages do not always outweigh the risks, we do not currently advise it to the general public. ‘.
Tissue samples from 238 patients with colon cancer who received their diagnosis between 2015 and 2019 were examined for the study.
Of these, it was discovered that 12 percent, or 29 individuals, had been long-term aspirin users.
Both groups’ levels of CD80, a protein associated with increased immune cell activity, were higher in the aspirin-taking group.
Additionally, it was observed that they had more immune cells circulating within tumors and fewer cancerous cells surrounding the lymph nodes, which are tiny, bean-shaped structures that are a component of the body’s immune system.
The findings point to an [immune-enhancing] effect of aspirin in the colon, according to the researchers’ paper.
This occurs when “cross-talk,” or increased cell-to-cell communication, is activated in immune cells.
This study is not the first to propose that aspirin can prevent colon cancer; other studies have shown that by reducing inflammation, the drug can reduce the risk by as much as 40%.
In addition to recommending treatments, the US Preventive Services Task Force has looked into the potential cancer-prevention benefits of aspirin.
However, citing a lack of benefit over risk, they have cautioned against the drug’s routine use in the general population.
They mentioned adverse effects such as kidney damage, internal bleeding, and irritation of the stomach lining that can lead to ulcers.
Approximately 40 million Americans take aspirin daily, usually as a preventative measure against heart disease or strokes.
Stars like Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed King T’Challa in the Black Panther film, have been affected by the unexplained rise in colon cancer cases among adults under 50.
This age group now has approximately 18,000 annual diagnoses, up from 12,000 in the years prior to 2000.
Among all the cancers of the digestive tract, an even greater increase has been noted.
All types of early-onset cancers are also on the rise; from 1990 to 2019, they increased by 79% worldwide, per an analysis published last year in BMJ Oncology.
Researchers are at a loss as to what is causing the spike, and they have blamed everything from obesity to antibiotics to a particular kind of fungus.
To try and find the reasons, a $25 million worldwide investigation has also been initiated.
