Study Ties Aspirin to Reduced Risk of Colon, Rectal Cancer
Taking aspirin more than twice a week for 20 years significantly reduces the risk of developing colon and rectal cancer, according to a study published the New England Journal of Medicine.
The results may signal an additional use for the over-the-counter painkiller, which already is recommended by many doctors to reduce the risk of heart disease.
From 1984 to 1992, Dr. Edward Giovannucci and researchers from the Harvard Medical School studied more than 331 women women with colon or rectal cancer who took part in a survey of more than 120,000 registered nurses.
Giovannucci’s team concluded that regular use of aspirin, at the same levels recommended for heart disease, reduces the risk of colon and rectal cancer after 10 years of regular use. Nevertheless, the researchers said it takes at least 19 years before taking aspirin is statistically beneficial.
After taking aspirin for at least 20 years, the risk of developing the deadly cancer is reduced about 44%. Women who took four to six tablets each week had the best results.
