More on Aspirin

Options

I subscribe to Oncology updates at < http://www.practiceupdate.com> . It is a site primarily for doctors, but you don't have to be one to subscribe. I get updates periodically and wanted to pass this one along.

"THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with colorectal, breast, or prostate cancers may have better survival odds if they are on a low-dose aspirin regimen, according to a review published online April 20 in PLOS ONE.

Peter Elwood, M.D., of Cardiff University in Wales, and colleagues analyzed 47 studies. Some studies found that aspirin users had better survival odds over several years, and others did not.

When the researchers combined the results of 11 studies of colorectal cancer patients, aspirin use was linked to a 24 percent lower risk of death from the disease. The results were weaker when it came to breast and prostate cancers. But overall, aspirin users had an 11 to 13 percent lower risk of dying from the diseases, the researchers found.

"We hold strongly that it is the right of patients to be given the evidence on risks and benefits, and to be encouraged to make up their own mind about prevention, and about treatment,"

The full text citation makes it clear the studies looked at those starting aspirin therapy after being diagnosed. I see our sisters on here undergoing chemo for a 3-5% reduction in recurrence rates and I wonder how many of our oncologists even discuss aspirin therapy with us-something that has a pretty small risk of dangerous side effects when compared to other treatments they often strongly recommend (chemo and hormone blockers.) My oncologist did recommend aspirin, but more to reduce the risk of blood clots with tamoxifen than to help prevent a recurrence of BC. Perhaps we should all be taking aspirin unless we have a specific condition that makes it risky for us to do so. Something else to ask our doctors about for sure.


Comments

Categories