# "Convincing Evidence" That Aspirin Prevents Colorectal Cancer



## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/556423?src=mp(Following is opening extract)"Convincing Evidence" That Aspirin Prevents Colorectal Cancer CMENews Author: Zosia ChusteckaCME Author: Charles Vega, MDDisclosuresRelease Date: May 14, 2007; Valid for credit through May 14, 2008Credits Available	Physicians - maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ for physicians;Family Physicians - up to 0.25 AAFP Prescribed credit(s) for physiciansMay 14, 2007 - Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) can prevent colorectal cancer, concludes an analysis of data from 2 large randomized trials. It found that aspirin at a dosage of 300 mg or more per day for about 5 years reduced the subsequent incidence of colorectal cancer by 37% overall, and by 74% during the period 10 to 15 years after treatment was started.The results, published in the May 12 issue of The Lancet, taken together with previous studies, "provide convincing evidence that aspirin, at biologically relevant doses, can reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer," comments Andrew T. Chan, MD, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, in an accompanying editorial.However, "these findings are not sufficient to warrant a recommendation for the general population to use aspirin for cancer prevention," Dr. Chan notes. He cites concern over the potential risks of long-term aspirin use and also the availability of alternative prevention strategies, such as screening.Peter M. Rothwell, FRCP, from University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and lead author of the study, told Medscape that he agrees with this caution about the general population. Overall from the studies of aspirin use in healthy individuals for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, the benefit of aspirin is more or less outweighed by the risk of bleeding (mainly in the gastrointestinal tract, but also in the brain), he noted...


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## Chicky10 (Jun 27, 2007)

That's good news that Aspirin prevents Colorectal Cancer. Not for me since I get scared of aspirin. I took it once since I was having menstrual cramps. My friend advised me to do so as she used to take aspirin when she had menstrual pain. 1-2 hours after I took the pills my condition worsened terribly. I vomited and the vomit had traces of blood. I was trembling and the abdominal pain was more painful then before. Thankfully dad was at home that day and he took me to the hospital immediately. Later I came to know that I'm allergic to aspirin. I stayed in the hospital for 5 days. . I'll advise you all to read the warnings, side effects, overdose reactions&#8230;etc of Ecotrin; http://www.drugdelivery.ca/s3469-s-ECOTRIN.aspx before you take the medicine and thus you will be in a better position to know when the drug reacts negatively on your body.


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