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| Vol. 25, No. 7 |
| April 15, 2003 |
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Low-Dose Aspirin Helps Prevent Colon Cancer By LAURA SUSSMAN The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center A daily dose of baby aspirin has been proven effective against the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colorectal cancer, reports a study published by the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Medical Center in a recent issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. The study, conducted by a consortium of academic institutions across North America, enrolled more than 1,000 participants, all of whom were previously diagnosed with colorectal adenomas. Robert S. Bresalier, M.D., now professor and chairman of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center’s Department of Gastrointestinal Medicine and Nutrition, was the study’s principal investigator at Henry Ford Health Sciences Center during his tenure there. Bresalier arrived at M.D. Anderson last July. “This is really the first prospective, randomized trial and the strongest indication to date demonstrating aspirin’s significant effect on recurrence of adenomas, which are precursors to colorectal cancer,” Bresalier says. From 1994 to 1998, eligible participants underwent a baseline colonoscopy and were tested to determine their tolerance to aspirin. Participants then were randomized to take either 81 mg (equivalent to a baby aspirin dose), 325 mg, or a daily placebo. A follow-up colonoscopy was conducted approximately three years after enrollment. Study results show a 19 percent reduction in recurrence of adenomas in the group taking the low-dose aspirin, compared to those taking a sugar pill, and a 4 percent reduction for those taking the higher dose. Even more significant, Bresalier says, was that the relative risk of advanced adenomas, lesions more likely to be precursors to cancer, was reduced by 41 percent in those taking low-dose aspirin. Still, even at low doses, aspirin has side effects, including the rare incidence of stroke, Bresalier cautions.
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