A Daily Dose of Aspirin May Very Well Treat Your Colon Cancer!

One of the major breakthroughs in the study of potential cancer treatments to date is the use of “everyday aspirin” to reduce the risk and spread of colon cancer. Researchers throughout the world quickly clung to the concept and the study has produced a variety of different results most of which appears “too good to be true”.

At the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, they studied the results of aspirin on over 800 stage three cancer patients. Each of which received standard chemotherapy and surgery, however, a selected few were also given 325mg of aspirin on a regular basis. At the end of the study they found that the group which had taken the aspirin doses showed over 50% reductions in recurrence over the group that only received chemotherapy after surgery. Amazing, right?

In 2003, the New England Journal of Medicine, printed a review of two separate studies and Ernest Hawk's (chief of gastrointestinal cancer prevention research at the National Cancer Institute) response to them. One of the studies looked at persons who had already been diagnosed with colon cancer. Some of whom were given the standard adult dosage of aspirin (325mg) daily and the others given a placebo pill. They observed the patients for a year, after which they found that the aspirin group had thirty–seven percent (37%) fewer growths developed. The second study looked at persons who had a history of polyps; however, this time a lower dose of aspirin was administered. This produced a nineteen percent (19%) reduction in polyp risk; unfortunately, the regular dose had no benefit. Earnest Hawk reviewed both studies and concluded that there was no good explanation for the difference in dosages, but implored the public to focus on the fact that both studies proved that aspirin in fact has anti-cancerous effects.

Dr. John Baron of Dartmouth Medical School directed a similar study and the results recorded in Yahoo! news in April, of this year. His study was intended to see if aspirin would prevent the recurrence of polyps after the growths have been removed during routine colonoscopies. He found that 80-milligram baby aspirin size taken daily can reduce this risk by nineteen percent (19%); a similar result to the study above. He noted that the dose tested is the same dosage already being taken by millions of average Americans in an attempt to prevent heart attacks. These studies will just prove an additional benefit.

Federal health officials say that they are extremely close to recommending that daily doses of aspirin be considered for patients who have had polyps removed. This suggestion, however, can not be given until they are one hundred percent (100%) sure that aspirin does indeed reduce polyp development. With this in mind they have decided to wait until they receive the results of future studies.

And so the studies continue to prove that just a daily dose of “everyday” aspirin can reduce the development of colon cancer. In the words of researcher, Dr. John Baron, "[while] it's clear aspirin will not be a magic bullet," it might very well be the alternative treatment that you have been searching for.

We at Boomer Yearbook are excited and thrilled by the prospect of this type of cancer treatment and will continue to keep our members updated. We'd love to hear your thoughts.

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