New Guideline: Do Not Take Aspirin for Colon Cancer Prevention

The most recent recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force goes against past advice. According to these experts, aspirin and painkillers like ibuprofen should not be taken as a preventative against colorectal cancer because of possible adverse effects (www.msnbc.com).

These recommendations by the task force apply to anyone with a family history of colon cancer, or are otherwise at high-risk for disease. Possible risks for people taking more than 300 milligrams a day of aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen include a higher risk for stroke, intestinal bleeding or kidney failure (www.msnbc.com).

The possible risks of taking these medications outweigh any possible benefits, said the task force in Tuesday's issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine (www.foodconsumer.com). The task force pointed out that while there is strong evidence that low doses of aspirin, usually less than 100 milligrams, can reduce the risk of heart disease, it has not been shown to lower the rate of colon cancer.

This most recent publication contradicts previous research and subsequent advice regarding aspirin and colon cancer prevention. The American Cancer Society published an article in 2000 that cited Michael Thun, MD, vice president of epidemiology and surveillance research for the ACS as stating "The body of research pointing to the potential benefits of aspirin and related drugs in keeping colorectal cancer at bay continues to grow." (www.foodconsumer.org). This article discussed previous research of 600,000 adults in 1980 about their aspirin use. This study found that six years later, the people who took aspirin at least 16 days of each month were 40 percent less likely to die of colon cancer (www.foodconsumer.org). However, researchers did warn against possible negative affects of an aspirin regimen.