Friday, October 28, 2011

Take 2 and skip the Oncologist?

For a while now, folks have been taking low doses of aspirin to lower the risk of heart disease, but who knew that the little pills might be a strong defense against cancer?

Well, some scientists Across the Pond© may have the answer:

"Taking aspirin regularly can cut the long-term risk of cancer ... British researchers found it can reduce the risk by 60 per cent in people with a family history of the disease."

The study, which involved folks from almost a dozen-and-a-half countries, seems to indicate that aspirin can be an effective weapon in the fight to prevent cancer:

"Professor Sir John Burn from Newcastle University, who led the research, said: ‘What we have finally shown is that aspirin has a major preventive effect on cancer but it doesn’t become apparent until years later.’"

In other words, this is a long-term commitment, not an instant panacea. Still, it's an inexpensive way to manage cancer risk, and readily available to the public. The potential downside - increased risk of stomach bleeding and the like - seems to be outweighed by the actual benefits of the regimen.

No final decision yet on the "chewable vs swallow with water" debate.
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