Taking Aspirin Shown to Improve Survival Rates in Non-Metastatic Colon and Rectal Cancer Patients

Research has shown that using aspirin regularly reduces the risk of polyps in people at high risk for colon cancer. Now an observational study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that people with colon or rectal cancer live longer if they take aspirin on a regular basis.   For example, the study found that the 10-year survival rate was 74% for the individuals who used aspirin after their diagnosis and 69% for those who did not. 

The researchers have several reasons to believe that aspirin was responsible for the improved survival. For example, researchers found that only tumors with high levels of COX-2 benefited from aspirin use. Aspirin is known to inhibit COX-2, which promotes inflammation and cell growth and is found at high levels in most colorectal cancers.

Based on the study results, if you have been diagnosed with non-metastatic colon cancer, it would be beneficial to talk to your doctor about the possibility of regular aspirin use, keeping in mind that not everyone should regularly use aspirin because of its side effects.