Cutting Cancer Deaths by Taking Aspirin Daily

The benefits
A recent research report suggests that taking aspirin daily (75 milligrams) significantly lowers the chances of getting stomach and bowel cancers. The research found that cancer incidences / deaths for stomach, bowel and oesophageal cancers were lowered by 30-40%.
The evidence collected further suggests that those 50 years old or over taking aspirin for 10 years will prevent 122,000 cancer deaths over 20 tears. However, there would be no benefits seen from taking the drug until 5 years.
At face value, the report from the Queen Mary University of London Annals of Oncology looks encouraging. Professor Jack Cuzic of the university goes on to say that “Taking aspirin daily looks to be the most important thing we can do to reduce cancer after stopping smoking and reducing obesity.”
Benefits versus harms
Admittedly, the report does go on to say that the evidence for the benefits is not so clear when preventing other cancers such as lung and breast cancer. While 100’s of other studies looking into the possible benefits of aspirin also reveal possible harms.
The controversy giving the thumbs up to daily small doses of aspirin comes from its potential to cause internal bleeding (stomach and brain) and is potentially dangerous to smokers, excessive drinkers, and those on blood thinning medications. Other health risks from side-effects include ulceration, allergic reactions, ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss… -All this is nothing new. Indeed, anyone choosing to take a daily aspirin would do well to first get advice from a Doctor.