Aspirin can prevent prostate cancer
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Scientists have discovered another useful property of aspirin. In addition, that all known anesthetic can reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks, it is also able to minimize the risk of developing prostate cancer in men.
As it turned out, regular use of small doses of aspirin is a more effective method of combating the disease than traditional methods, including surgery and radiation therapy.
Dr. Kevin Ho, associate professor of the Department of Radiation Oncology at UT Southwestern University, together with colleagues conducted a urological examination of 6000 men who underwent prostate cancer treatment by surgery or radiation therapy.
2,200 people (37% of the participants in the experiment) took anticoagulants (chemical substances and drugs that depress the activity of the coagulating blood system and prevent the formation of blood clots) warfarin, clopidogrel, enoxaparin and aspirin. The results of the analysis were compared with the analysis of patients who did not take these drugs.
The effectiveness of these medications was proved by the fact that for a decade the death rate among those who took anticoagulants was significantly lower than among those who did not take them. Accordingly, the risk of relapse and spread of metastases also decreased.
Further analysis of the results obtained led to the conclusion that such successes were achieved due to the use of aspirin, and not other anticoagulants.
According to Dr. Ho, this discovery is of great importance for the development of medicine, in particular new methods of treating prostate cancer, because, according to statistics, in the US, prostate cancer is the second most frequent cause of death among the male population. And in the UK, it is diagnosed annually by 16,000 men, while only 40 percent of patients live more than five years.
Aspirin interferes with the action of the enzyme that promotes the growth of tumor cells. Nevertheless, doctors do not recommend that men start taking aspirin, because this medication also has side effects.
Prolonged use of the drug causes irritation of the mucosa, which can lead to stomach ulcers and dangerous bleeding.
"We need to find out what dose of aspirin will be optimal in the fight against prostate cancer, and only then will it be possible to prescribe the medicine to the sick," says Dr. Ho.
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