Researchers find daily aspirin can help prevent the development of digestive tract cancers.
In their study, published in the journal Annals of Oncology, London researchers reviewed research on the risks of taking aspirin for preventative uses. They found that taking aspirin daily for 10 years could decrease cases of bowel cancer by 35% and deaths by 40%. Oesophageal and stomach cancers were cut by 30% with death risk lowered by 35-50%.
They found that patients between the ages of 50 and 65 got a benefit if they took a daily dose of aspirin for at least five years. No benefit was seen during the first three years.
Aspirin has also been shown to lower the risks of blood clots and heart attacks, but the risk of increased stomach bleeding has some medical experts questioning the benefit of taking an aspirin every day. The researchers of the new study point out that the risk only applies to a small percentage of people.
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