Employing aspirin for reduced risk of colon cancer development
Daily Aspirin and Colorectal Cancer Risk: Depends on Age of Starting
Aspirin has long been a popular medication for preventative purposes, including heart attack and stroke prevention. However, a large clinical trial in 2019 found that taking aspirin daily after the age of 70 did not decrease the risk of a first heart attack or stroke, but increased the risk of serious internal bleeding. As for colorectal cancer (CRC), recent research indicates that the protective effects of aspirin against this deadly form of cancer depend on when it's started.
A team of researchers led by Dr. Andrew Chan studied whether older adults (beyond age 70) should begin taking aspirin to prevent CRC. Dr. Chan, a gastroenterologist and chief of the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, analyzed data from The Nurses' Health Study (1980-2014) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2014). The two studies looked at over 94,000 people and their aspirin use over about 35 years, seeking connections between aspirin use and cancer risk.
The findings showed that people who had started taking aspirin in their fifties and sixties and continued into their seventies experienced a lower risk of CRC. However, no such benefit was found in those who began taking aspirin after age seventy. In light of these results, it cannot be said definitively that aspirin protects against CRC for those who start taking it later in life.
Another important study from the American Cancer Society shows that initiating aspirin before a diagnosis of CRC may lower colorectal cancer mortality. The bottom line is that if you're going to take aspirin to prevent CRC, starting before the age of 70 appears to offer the most benefit. Individuals beyond age 70 should discuss the risks and benefits of starting aspirin with their healthcare provider.
The benefits of aspirin for CRC prevention are most evident when initiated in midlife (around age 50) and used long-term, in line with multiple studies, guidelines, and systematic reviews. Recommendations for preventive aspirin use generally begin at age 50 and are considered up to age 70, as the balance between benefit and risk becomes less favorable in older adults. There is less evidence supporting the start of aspirin after age 70 for cancer prevention, and current guidelines do not recommend routine use at that stage due to increased risks.
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Sources:[1] Does aspirin lower colorectal cancer risk in older adults? It depends on when they start - Eureka Alert[2] Study shows aspirin before a diagnosis may lower colorectal cancer mortality - Medical Express[3] Daily Aspirin Can Lower Colon Cancer Risk, But Age Matters - US News & World Report[4] ASPRIN and HEALTH - aspree.org[5] Effect of aspirin and NSAIDs on risk and survival from colorectal cancer - Gut[6] Associations of aspirin and non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with colorectal cancer mortality after diagnosis - Journal of the National Cancer Institute
- The protective effects of aspirin against colorectal cancer (CRC) seem to be more significant when started in midlife, around age 50, as per numerous studies, guidelines, and reviews.
- Recent research indicates that initiating aspirin before a diagnosis of CRC may potentially lower colorectal cancer mortality.
- For individuals beyond age 70, the risks of starting aspirin for CRC prevention might outweigh the benefits, as current guidelines do not usually recommend routine use at that stage.
