Could an Aspirin a Day Keep Colon Cancer Away?

Daily aspirin use may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, particularly for people who make unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Prevalence of Colon Cancer in Adult Men and Women

Colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer death. The average lifetime risk of developing cancer of the colon or rectum is 1 in 23 for males and 1 in 25 for females. However, the personal risk for colon cancer depends on a combination of genetics and lifestyle habits.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), genetic mutations cause only about five percent of colon cancer cases. Choices regarding diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol use may play a significant role in increasing the risk of colorectal cancer.

How Aspirin Affects Colon Cancer Risk

Taking aspirin can reduce your risk of a stroke or heart attack, but it also may help prevent colon cancer in high-risk patients.

Scientists at Mass General Brigham conducted a study to assess how lifestyle choices — such as smoking, drinking alcohol and having a high body mass index — might influence colon cancer risk factors associated with aspirin use. Using data from over 100,000 participants in the Nurse’s Health Study, the researchers compared results of patients who took aspirin regularly (at least two 325mg tablets per week or a daily dose of 81mg) to patients who did not take aspirin every week.

Taking aspirin regularly reduced the 10-year colon cancer incidence in all participants in the study, but the patients with unhealthy lifestyles benefitted most.

“These individuals [who smoked, drank and had a high body mass index] had multiple risk factors that increased their overall risk for developing colorectal cancer,” said Daniel R. Sikavi, MD, fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Our results show that aspirin can proportionally lower this comparatively elevated risk. In contrast, those with a healthier lifestyle might have a lower baseline risk and, therefore, their benefit was still evident but less pronounced.”

Although daily aspirin may help prevent colon cancer, it can cause serious side effects, such as gastric bleeding. The research did not investigate the adverse effects of aspirin, yet Dr. Sikavi is optimistic that it will broaden the range of preventive treatments aimed at decreasing colon cancer rates.

Make Daily Decisions to Manage Your Colon Cancer Risk

Some colon cancer risk factors are fixed, while others are changeable. You can take control of your health by understanding which risk factors you can change.

Risk factors you cannot change:

• Your age — Your risk for colorectal cancer increases with age. However, young-onset colon cancer incidence is on the rise.
• Your ethnic and racial background — People who are of American Indian and Alaskan Native descent have the highest incidence of colon cancer in the United States, followed by African Americans.
• Sex at birth — Males with colon cancer are more likely to die from the disease than women.
• Having an inherited syndrome — People can inherit genetic mutations that cause family cancer syndromes. Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are two examples.
• Gallbladder removal — Individuals who have had their gallbladder removed may face a marginally increased risk of cancer on the right side of the colon.
• Personal history of colorectal cancer or colon polyps — Those with polyps or previous colon cancer are more likely to develop the disease or develop it again.
• Personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — Adults with IBD, including Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, have a higher risk of developing colon cancer.

Risk factors you can change (ACS):

• Being obese or overweight — Staying at a healthy weight can lower your risk of colorectal cancer.
• Having type II diabetes — Experts suggest high insulin levels can make you more susceptible to developing colon cancer.
• Smoking — Smoking tobacco increases your risk of colon polyps, which can become cancerous.
• Drinking alcohol — Even light to moderate alcohol use can increase your risk for colorectal disease. Men should limit themselves to two drinks per day and women should have no more than one drink per day.
• Diet — Eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fiber-rich foods will lower your risk for colon cancer. Red and processed meats, fatty foods and sugary beverages are associated with increased risk.

Colonoscopy Is the Most Comprehensive Colon Cancer Screening Method

Colon cancer screening can detect cancer and identify abnormal tissue that could become cancerous. Although there are many types of preventive tests, colonoscopy is the gold standard because it can detect and prevent the disease in one procedure.

During a colonoscopy, a gastroenterologist examines the entire rectum and colon for polyps. Other screening tests like stool tests, CRC blood tests, CT colonography and flexible sigmoidoscopy are less invasive, but you must have a follow-up colonoscopy if any of these tests are positive.

The US Preventive Services Task Force advises that all adults with average colon cancer risk should start screening at the age of 45. Certain people with a familial background of colon cancer or polyps may require earlier screening for colon cancer. Talk to your doctor about the appropriate timing and frequency for your screenings.