Breast cancer: aspirin could cut risks. A long running study of over 4,000 nurses indicates that breast cancer survivors that took aspirin were half as likely to die of the disease or have their tumors spread, compared to survivors that did not take aspirin.
According to USA Today, “breast cancers produce more inflammatory chemicals than normal breast cells. Lab tests show that aspirin keeps breast tumor cells from growing and invading other tissue.”
Many cancer survivors already take aspirin in order to help cut the risk of heart attacks. Aspirin has also been linked to decrease risks in colon cancer as well.
The study isn’t conclusive because doctors that completed the study simply tracked survivors for several years, noted which ones took aspirin, and noted which ones did and did not have their cancer spread or return.
It’s possible that something other than aspirin helped with the patients’ results. However, the implications of the study could help many cancer survivors enjoy a longer life just through taking something as simple as an aspirin.
Aspirin has long been hailed as “the wonder drug.” If all of the studies truly indicate that the drug cuts the risk of cancer returning, and results are confirmed through definitive studies, it will be a big breakthrough in medicine.
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