Aspirin Inhibits Metastatic Cancer Spread, Reducing Mortality by 21 Percent: Study

Aspirin is a long established and widely used medication with a rich history. In addition to its well known uses for pain relief and its anti inflammatory and anticoagulant properties, a recent study indicates that cancer patients who take low dose aspirin daily experience a 21 percent reduction in mortality.

Furthermore, there is evidence of aspirin’s role in preventing cancer metastasis. The metastasis or spread of cancer is a major cause of death in cancer patients, and platelets play a significant role in this process. Aspirin can inhibit platelet aggregation, thereby reducing the spread of cancer cells.

The comprehensive review in the BJC found that aspirin can lower the risk of cancer metastasis by 38 percent to 52 percent. However, researchers noted that this prospective study, involving 3,166 older patients, lacked a control group, making it challenging to assess the independent impact of aspirin on fatal bleeding accurately.

The researchers pointed out that an increased risk of bleeding in elderly and frail cancer patients does pose a real danger. However, instead of solely focusing on the frequency of bleeding, greater consideration should be given to its severity, as the most severe instances of bleeding are the ones responsible for death.

The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of all observational studies on aspirin and digestive tract cancers published until March 2019, encompassing over 150,000 cases. The results revealed that, compared to patients not using aspirin, those who regularly took aspirin had a 27 percent reduced risk of colorectal cancer, a 33 percent reduced risk of squamous cell esophageal cancer, a 39 percent reduced risk of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and gastric cardia, a 36 percent reduced risk of stomach cancer, a 38 percent reduced risk of hepatobiliary tract cancer, and a 22 percent reduced risk of pancreatic cancer.

However, there was no significant change in the risk of head and neck cancer. For individuals with a history of allergy to aspirin or similar pain relievers, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, indigestion, heavy menstrual bleeding, recent stroke, asthma or lung disease, blood clotting problems, liver or kidney problems, and gout, it is essential to consult a doctor before taking aspirin..