Aspirin is commonly known for preventing heart attacks, but a new study has found that the drug may also be linked to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
The study, published in JAMA Oncology, followed 17,655 men and women over three decades.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Washington University School of Medicine found in the study that regular aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, especially for people with unhealthy lifestyles. .
Unhealthy lifestyles include high body mass index (BMI), heavy smoking and alcohol consumption, reduced physical activity and poor diet.
Dr. Mark Siegel of New York University Langone Medical Center (who was not involved in the study) said that this study consistently shows a link between low doses of aspirin and a reduction in colon cancer.
The study’s lead author, Daniel Sikavy, said the researchers found that people with the least healthy lifestyles benefited the most from aspirin use.
