Taking aspirin daily for at least 4 years reduces long-term risk of cancer death
- College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Correspondence to Elizabeth Ann Coleman
Mail Slot 529, 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; colemanann{at}uams.edu
Implications for practice and research
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▪ The study findings that daily aspirin reduced cancer death by 20% need to be factored into guideline recommendations. The large effect size of aspirin, even in low dose, in preventing cancer may outweigh the small risk of stomach bleeds.
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▪ It may be recommended that persons at age 40 take daily low-dose aspirin to prevent cancer, not just of adenocarinoma of the gastrointestinal tract but of adenocarinoma of other tumour sites.
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▪ More trial data are needed on cancers that affect women, especially breast and gynaecological cancers.
Context
Cancer …
