Study to Determine if Aspirin Blocks Cancer Recurrences
Thursday, 22 Oct 2015 12:14 AM
British researchers have launched the world's largest clinical trial to determine whether aspirin can prevent cancer from recurring.
About 11,000 people who have had bowel, breast, prostate, stomach and, esophageal cancer will be involved in the study, funded by the charity Cancer Research UK and the research arm of the British National Health Service, BBC News reports.
Patients will take a tablet every day for five years. If it proves successful, it could be a game-changer – confirming that aspirin’s anti-cancer qualities are real and that the standby painkiller is a cheap and effective way to help more patients survive.
Researchers will compare groups of patients taking different doses of aspirin with people taking dummy (placebo) pills and check for any recurrences of cancer.
"The trial is especially exciting as cancers that recur are often harder to treat so finding a cheap and effective way to prevent this is potentially game-changing for patients," said Fiona Reddington, M.D., of Cancer Research UK.
The trial will involve 100 UK facilities and will last up to 12 years.
"There's been some interesting research suggesting that aspirin could delay or stop early stage cancers coming back but there's been no randomized trial to give clear proof,” said lead researcher Ruth Langley. "The trial aims to answer this question once and for all.
"If we find that aspirin does stop these cancers returning, it could change future treatment - providing a cheap and simple way to help stop cancer coming back and helping more people survive."
About 11,000 people who have had bowel, breast, prostate, stomach and, esophageal cancer will be involved in the study, funded by the charity Cancer Research UK and the research arm of the British National Health Service, BBC News reports.
Patients will take a tablet every day for five years. If it proves successful, it could be a game-changer – confirming that aspirin’s anti-cancer qualities are real and that the standby painkiller is a cheap and effective way to help more patients survive.
Researchers will compare groups of patients taking different doses of aspirin with people taking dummy (placebo) pills and check for any recurrences of cancer.
Latest News Update
"The trial is especially exciting as cancers that recur are often harder to treat so finding a cheap and effective way to prevent this is potentially game-changing for patients," said Fiona Reddington, M.D., of Cancer Research UK.
The trial will involve 100 UK facilities and will last up to 12 years.
"There's been some interesting research suggesting that aspirin could delay or stop early stage cancers coming back but there's been no randomized trial to give clear proof,” said lead researcher Ruth Langley. "The trial aims to answer this question once and for all.
"If we find that aspirin does stop these cancers returning, it could change future treatment - providing a cheap and simple way to help stop cancer coming back and helping more people survive."
