Aspirin Helps Prevent Cancer, New Studies Show

kkleiner writes "For years, research has shown that aspirin is beneficial in preventing heart attacks. Now new studies support its ability to prevent cancer as well. The studies, involving tens of thousands of participants over many decades, show reductions of cancer incidence (both short- and long-term) and mortality rate as well as a decrease in metastatic cancer. It still is not known exactly how aspirin and cancer are connected, but those between the ages of 45-50 will now likely consider taking low-dose aspirin daily for the remainder of their lives."

Comments

Goddamn Futurism "Reporting"

[eldavojohn]

100-Year Old Wonder Drug Now Shown To Prevent Cancer and Heart Attacks

Hmmm, that's odd, this "news" story reads like one of those ads trying to sell me something. Is this ancient Chinese secret or midwest housewife research?

For all the money spent on studies of aspirin, perhaps all the evidence anyone needs of its health benefits is the life of Walter Breuning, who lived to be 114 years old and aspirin was the only medication he ever took.

Oh, you just need a sample size of one? No need for that expensive tens of thousands double blind study, huh? And all he ever took was aspirin? We should refuse vaccines? And what the hell do you mean by "for all that money spent"? I find it odd that all three of the abstracts linked to in the article end with:

Funding
None.

Wait a second ... *checks URL*

singularityhub.com

Oh son of a bitch, it's more misinformation and half truths from Ray Kurzweil's disciples. Now I have to guess which is which.

Re:Goddamn Futurism "Reporting"

[hrvatska]

100-Year Old Wonder Drug Now Shown To Prevent Cancer and Heart Attacks

Hmmm, that's odd, this "news" story reads like one of those ads trying to sell me something. Is this ancient Chinese secret or midwest housewife research?

Maybe you like it straight from 'The Lancet': Short-term effects of daily aspirin on cancer incidence, mortality, and non-vascular death: analysis of the time course of risks and benefits in 51 randomised controlled trials, Effect of daily aspirin on risk of cancer metastasis: a study of incident cancers during randomised controlled trials, and Long-term effect of aspirin on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality: 20-year follow-up of five randomised trials.

The NY Times also reported on these studies. Some of the findings of these studies found were that after five years the risk of dying of cancer was reduced by 37 percent among those taking daily aspirin, that over six and a half years, on average, daily aspirin use reduced the risk of metastatic cancer by 36 percent and the risk of adenocarcinomas by 46 percent, daily aspirin use reduced the risk of progressing to metastatic disease in patients with colorectal cancer.

It was found that the risk of bleeding in aspirin users diminished over time, and that the risk of death from brain bleeds was actually lower in the aspirin users than in the comparison group.

Re:But destroys your liver

[XxtraLarGe]

I'd rather avoid aspirin and other NSAIDs (like tylenol/acetaminophen).

But then again...

A 2009 article published by the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggested that aspirin might prevent liver damage.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspirin#Experimental

It's not misinformation

[pigwiggle]

it's actual, real life, scientific research - published in a well read and respected peer reviewed medical journal. But if it's just the messenger that has you all wee weed up, try PBS
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june12/aspirin_03-21.html

Re:But destroys your liver

[Daniel Dvorkin]

I'd rather avoid aspirin and other NSAIDs (like tylenol/acetaminophen).

Acetaminophen's not an NSAID, since it has hardly any anti-inflammatory effect at all. Still something that should IMO be avoided -- aspirin's actually a lot healthier and safer for most people -- but it's important to know what class of drugs you're actually dealing with.

Aspirin's mechanism of action IS known!

[Invisible Now]

The mechanism, at least for colon cancer is known. Aspirin is COX 2 inhibitor. Colon and other cancers have COX 2 receptors on their cell walls. See details at: http://modernrecovery.com/news/7-latest/11-aspirin-reduces-colon-cancer.html

Re:Maybe Willow Bark instead

[mutube]

Aspirin is already converted to salicylic acid (I think), so you may be better off (study this) with the natural precursor 'Willow Bark'.

You've got this exactly backwards (unfortunately this was also about the only time you were 'exact' in your entire post).

If I wanted to take aspirin daily, I'd take it that way instead, since it may be kinder and gentler on your system.

So you essentially have no idea. But it being natural feels all warm and fuzzy so you will do that instead of basing your decisions off nasty pointy facts.

You can die from other things besides cancer and heart disease...like a failed liver or thin blood.

Or self-medicating with incorrectly dosed quanties of active drugs derived from an poorly regulated source.