Aspirin May Stifle Cancer Growth (Study)

(Mirror Daily, United States) – A research team at the Edinburgh University has found that aspiring can stifle tumor growth in bowel cancer patients.

The findings are in line with past studies that found that the over-the-counter drug can lower the risk of colon cancer.

It is the first time a study offers evidence that aspirin has tumor-fighting properties as well. Scientists found that the medication can block a mechanism that promotes tumor growth.

The research team focused on the tumor cells’ nucleolus. The nucleolus has been associated with a higher risk of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer growth when activated.

Researchers tested aspirin effectiveness on tumor samples from bowel cancer patients and cancerous cells grown in a laboratory. The research revealed that the drug can block the TIF-IA molecule. Without the molecule, the nucleolus cannot be activated.

Even though not all colon cancer patients benefited from aspirin, researchers believe that their findings can help those patients that can benefit from it. The study could help researchers develop therapies that simulate aspirin’s properties.

Aspirin Has Many Health Benefits

Aspirin, though, should not be taken long-term as it can have some side-effects. Lead author Dr. Lesley Stark noted that the drug could prevent multiple conditions through a mechanism that the latest study is trying to better understand.

Dr. Stark hopes that a better understanding of the impact of aspirin on TIF-IA could enable scientists to develop new treatments for certain conditions and tailor current therapies to each patient’s needs.

The study appeared this week in the Nucleic Acids Research.

In the U.S., one in five women over the age 55 is taking aspirin every day to keep heart disease at bay. Past studies have shown that the OTC painkiller could prevent cancer and boost brain activity in younger women. A 2013 study revealed that the drug slowed down tumor growth in mice diagnosed with breast cancer.
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John Birks

John holds a diploma in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He covers the technology, social media, green business, eco-travel, politics, arts culture.