Daily aspirin in your 40s 'can cut risk of cancer later in life' reported The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper said that people who take the cheap painkiller for 10 years can reduce their risk of breast and bowel cancer. It said that experts say taking aspirin in your mid-40s could be the "best time to stop the disease progressing into full-blown cancer in your sixties”.
The study underlying this report is a review of what is currently known about the benefits, risks and uncertainties of taking aspirin and similar drugs. It found that although research suggests that aspirin can cut the risk of some cancers, it is not currently recommended due to the risk of side effects such as internal bleeding. This risk is compounded by the fact that common cancers tend to develop after the age of 60, when the risk of aspirin causing internal bleeding is at its highest.
The experts conclude that, “only treatment with aspirin combines the benefit of protection against cardiovascular disease with the potential to reduce the risk of some types of cancer, but that more randomised trials are essential.” This seems reasonable considering the current state of knowledge.
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