Aspirin reduces the risk of recurrence of one of the most dangerous types of cancer
Results published in the journal The New England Journal of Medicine.
Within the framework of the ALASCCA study, over 3500 patients with colorectal cancer from 33 hospitals in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland were divided into two groups. Those who had a specific mutation in the PIK3 signaling pathway (approximately 40% of participants) received either 160 mg of aspirin daily or a placebo for three years after surgery. The result was convincing: patients with this mutation experienced a 55% reduction in recurrence risk in the aspirin group compared to the placebo.
According to the first author of the study, Professor Anna Martling, aspirin in this case serves as an example of "precision medicine" — using genetic information to personalize therapy. The drug has several parallel mechanisms of action: reducing inflammation, inhibiting platelet function, and slowing tumor growth, creating a less favorable environment for cancer development.
Scientists believe that the results could have global significance and influence future recommendations for the treatment of colorectal and rectal cancer. Unlike many modern anticancer drugs, aspirin is accessible and inexpensive, which, according to Martling, "is very encouraging."
Every year, nearly 2 million people worldwide are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and 20–40% of patients develop metastases, complicating treatment. Previous observational studies hinted that aspirin might prevent both the development and recurrence of tumors, but direct evidence was lacking.
