Aspirin may accelerate cancer progression in elderly, finds study

Written By : Dr.Niharika Harsha B |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2020-08-25T20:03:53+05:30 | Updated On 25 Aug 2020 8:03 PM IST

A recent trial found that Aspirin treatment may accelerate progression of cancer in older individuals. The trial was published in the Journal " Journal of the National Cancer Institute" 2020.

The ASPREE trial investigated if the daily use of 100 mg of enteric-coated aspirin would prolong the healthy life span of older adults. The trial results showed that the use of low-dose aspirin did not significantly provide a benefit regarding the primary end point of disability-free survival among older adults. But previous trials involving younger individuals demonstrated a delayed cancer benefit with aspirin. As higher mortality was experienced by Aspirin randomised participants the researchers provided a new report on a more detailed analysis of the effect of aspirin on cancer incidence and mortality occurring in the ASPREE participants was given. The study aimed at better understanding the findings and implications of the trial.

In the study there were 19,114 Australian and U.S. community-dwelling participants aged 70+ years. Participants without cardiovascular disease, dementia or physical disability were randomized and followed for a period of 4.7 years. Fatal and non-fatal cancer events, a prespecified secondary endpoint, were adjudicated based on clinical records.

The key findings of the study were:

• 981 cancer events occurred in the aspirin and 952 in the placebo groups.

• There was no statistically significant difference between groups for all incident cancers, hematological cancer, or all solid cancers, including by specific tumor type.

• However, aspirin was associated with an increased risk of incident cancer that had metastasized or was stage 4 at diagnosis, and with higher risk of death for cancers that presented at stages 3 or 4.

Thus, the researchers concluded that in older adults, aspirin treatment had an adverse effect on later stages of cancer evolution. They also suggested to cautiously use aspirin in older individuals as aspirin may accelerate the progression of cancer in this age group.

For further reading, click the following link: https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djaa114

Aspirincancerall cause mortalityGeriatric Patientslow dose aspirinCancer progression

Source : Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Dr.Niharika Harsha B

BDS, MDS

Dr.Niharika Harsha B (BDS,MDS) completed her BDS from Govt Dental College, Hyderabad and MDS from Dr.NTR University of health sciences(Now Kaloji Rao University). She has 4 years of private dental practice and worked for 2 years as Consultant Oral Radiologist at a Dental Imaging Centre in Hyderabad. She worked as Research Assistant and scientific writer in the development of Oral Anti cancer screening device with her seniors. She has a deep intriguing wish in writing highly engaging, captivating and informative medical content for a wider audience. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751