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Landmark Study: Aspirin Offers No Cancer Benefit, Raises Risk
29 Jan
Summary
- Daily low-dose aspirin does not prevent cancer in older adults.
- Taking aspirin daily increased cancer death risk by 15 percent.
- Aspirin may increase risk of advanced stage four cancer.
- No cancer incidence benefit observed with aspirin use in old age.
New research indicates that a daily low dose of aspirin does not offer protection against cancer in older adults and may, in fact, elevate the risk of cancer-related mortality. The study, published in JAMA Oncology, involved over 19,000 participants aged 70 and older who were free of major diseases at the outset.
Over an average follow-up of 4.5 years, daily aspirin use showed no effect on cancer incidence. Notably, participants who developed cancer while taking aspirin had a 15% higher likelihood of dying from the disease compared to those on a placebo. Researchers observed a potential link between aspirin and an increased risk of stage four cancer, which has spread to other organs.
The study concluded that initiating aspirin in old age provides no overall cancer incidence benefit and significantly elevates cancer mortality risk, although longer follow-up is warranted. An exception was noted for melanoma, where aspirin might offer a protective effect, warranting further investigation, particularly given its prevalence in sun-exposed populations like Australia.
