A research team led by Prof. Jack Cuzick at the Center For Cancer Prevention in London recently had their studies published on the journal Annals of Oncology, where they cited the benefits of the long-term use of aspirin.
Experts have long been advising the public that this regimen is generally unadvisable since long-term aspirin use has been linked to a number of side effects, including internal bleeding. However, according to the study conducted by Prof. Cusick and his team, using aspirin over an extended period of time can significantly reduce the risk of developing major types of cancers of the digestive tract including esophageal, stomach, and bowel cancers.
Aspirin, or acetyl salicylic acid, has been a medicine cabinet staple because it is a common remedy for minor aches and pains, fever, or inflammation. For patients with cardiovascular diseases, aspirin is also used in low doses as an antiplatelet medication. Over the years, there has been numerous disputes about the benefits of employing long-term aspirin therapy. Some studies have suggested that this practice reduces the risk of ovarian cancer and improves the survival rate for colon cancer. Other studies, however, claim that long-term aspirin use causes more harm than good and can influence the development of conditions such as age-related macular degeneration.
Because of this, Prof. Cuzick and his team of researchers underwent a study to determine if the benefits of aspirin use do, in fact, out weigh the risks.
Collective information revealed that continued aspirin use for a period of 5 to 10 years have yielded a 9% reduction of the cases of heart attacks, cancer, and stroke in men, and up to 7% reduction in women. When extended over a 20 year period, the effects of aspirin intake could possibly reduce the number of deaths from these causes by about 4%. On the contrary, there were no benefits recorded and individuals who only took aspirin for minimum of 3 years.