Aspirin can lower cancer mortality: study

Researchers from the American Cancer Society found that daily aspirin use was associated with an estimated 16 per cent lower overall risk of cancer mortality, both among people who reported taking aspirin daily for at least five years and among those who reported shorter term daily use.

The lower overall cancer mortality was driven by about 40 per cent lower mortality from cancers of the gastrointestinal tract (such as esophageal, stomach, and colorectal cancer) and about 12 per cent lower mortality from cancers outside the gastrointestinal tract.

The study analysed information from 1,00,139 predominantly elderly participants in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort who reported aspirin use on questionnaires, did not have cancer at the start of the study, and were followed for up to 11 years.

"Although recent evidence about aspirin use and cancer is encouraging, it is still premature to recommend people start taking aspirin specifically to prevent cancer. Even low-dose aspirin can substantially increase the risk of serious gastrointestinal bleeding," lead researcher, Eric J Jacobs said.

Uncertainty remains about how much daily aspirin use may lower cancer mortality, researchers said in a statement.

The study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).