Daily Aspirin May Help Prevent Colorectal Cancer from Returning, Study Finds

A new study from Sweden suggests that taking a low dose of aspirin every day may help prevent colorectal cancer from returning in certain patients. The research was carried out by scientists at the Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital.

The clinical trial included 626 patients who had stage 1 to 3 colon or rectal cancer. These patients also had specific genetic changes in their tumours, particularly in the PIK3 signalling pathway. Earlier studies had hinted that aspirin could be effective against cancers with these mutations, but this was the first time the theory was tested in a randomised trial.

The results were promising. Patients who took aspirin daily were up to 55% less likely to have their cancer return within three years, compared to those who took a placebo. In the aspirin group, only 7.7% saw a return of cancer during the study period. In contrast, between 14.1% and 16.8% of patients in the placebo group experienced a recurrence, depending on their specific genetic mutation.

According to the findings that have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine,low-dose aspirin could become a useful tool in preventing cancer recurrence for selected patients with certain genetic markers.

"Although we do not yet fully understand all the molecular links, the findings strongly support the biological rationale and suggest that the treatment may be particularly effective in genetically defined subgroups of patients," says Karolinska Institute surgeon Anna Martling..

The researchers believe that the results could have global significance and influence treatment guidelines for colon and rectal cancer worldwide. Anna Martling sees the fact that the drug is well established as a major advantage.

"Aspirin is a drug that is readily available globally and extremely inexpensive compared to many modern cancer drugs, which is very positive," says Anna Martling.