Aspirin-New Research for Use in Cancer Treatment
Benefits of Simple Medications for Colon Cancer & Crohns Disease
Sep 28, 2009
If the 20th Century could have been classed as the century for complex, synthesised and expensive medications, is it possible that the 21st Century will see the return to simpler medications and a greater reliance on herbal and natural sources?
Aspirin
Since its invention in 1897, the aspirin has been a renowned painkiller. However, the benefits of the humble aspirin now seem far greater than initially perceived.
Research on the use of aspirin for heart disease has been conducted since the 1940s and it is now common practice for GPs to prescribe a daily dose of aspirin to patients considered at risk of heart disease.
Aspirin Beneficial for Patients at Risk of Colon Cancer
Research by Professor John Burns of Newcastle University has recently revealed that aspirin may well be beneficial for patients at risk of colon cancer by controlling cancer stem cells. From a study of over 1,000 patients with Lynch syndrome, which develops into colon cancer in around 5% of sufferers, the research concluded that half as many developed colon cancer.
Professor Burns commented that: ‘Although there were many reports that aspirin might have a beneficial effect in a range of cancers, they were from case control and epidemiological studies. We decided that the only way to achieve conclusive proof was to undertake a randomised trial in a high-risk population.'
The results of the study were presented by Professor Burns to the ECCO-ESMO European cancer conference held in Berlin from 20-24 September 2009.
Aspirin Beneficial for Patients Diagnosed and Treated for ColoRectal Cancer
Furthermore, research conducted in America has claimed that aspirin is also beneficial in the cancer treatment of patients that have already been diagnosed and treated for colon cancer as it improves survival rates. Patients taking aspirin on a regular basis have been computed to be 30% less likely to die from cancer and 20% less likely to die at all.
Cost Benefit of Aspirin
From a cost perspective the manufacture of aspirin is minimal when compared to other medications currently marketed with obvious implications for patients worldwide.
Rosehips
The simple rosehip has been used by generations worldwide for its heatth benefits, however ongoing Scandinavian research now links the berry to potential benefit in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohns disease and perhaps even heart disease.
If the research on medications from berries such as rosehips proves successful it is to be hoped that treatments will prove less costly to health service and patient alike.
Word of Warning
Consumers must be aware that there is a possibility of great risk when self medicating, for example, medications such as aspirin are the second most common cause of gastric ulcers. Therefore, taking medication regularly, even what may be perceived as the 'simple' aspirin, is not recommended unless advised by a Medical Practitioner.
Pharmaceutical Industry Returning to Basics
It certainly seems that the pharmaceutical industry may be returning to basics in many respects, with the emphasis on a return to simple and easily manufactured medication such as aspirin for the treatment of a range of ailments and research into the incorporation of traditional herbal ingredients into medications for a range of treatments, rather than the more complex, synethised products of the 20th century.
Source:
Chan et al, Aspirin Use and Survival After Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer, Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 302, Number 6, August 12, 2009.
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