By Sandeep Nayak
In what may bring smile on the face of cancer survivors, a new study has found that regular usage of aspirin is likely to reduce the overall risk of cancer, a reduction that primarily reflects a lower risk of colorectal cancer and other tumours of the gastrointestinal tracts. Considering the high cost of treating cancer, this news will definitely bring cheer to everyone. The study also noted that the regular use of aspirin reduced the risk of colorectal cancer by 19 per cent. However, the researchers have warned that use of aspirin may complement, but not replace the preventive benefits of colonoscopy and other methods of colorectal cancer screening.
The research team analysed 32 years of data from almost 136,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The findings of the study, published Online First in JAMA Oncology, stressed that patients should be well informed about the potential side effects of regular aspirin treatment and continue their regular screening tests.
But, aspirin should not be viewed as a substitute for colonoscopy or other cancer screening tests, the researchers added.
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