Aspirin linked to lower colorectal cancer risk, especially for those who are less healthy

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-08-02 01:00

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The link between aspirin use and a lower colorectal cancer risk is strongest among those with less healthy lifestyles, according to international research. The researchers say previous studies have shown aspirin can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, so they investigated who might see the greatest risk reduction if they took the painkiller. Using data from a long-term women's health study, the team compared aspirin usage, various measures to calculate how healthy a participant's lifestyle is and the rate of colorectal cancer among over 100,000 women. The researchers say the colorectal cancer rate over the study was 1.98% for those who used aspirin regularly and 2.95% for those who didn't. Participants with less healthy lifestyles saw a greater overall risk reduction from aspirin usage compared to healthier participants, the researchers say, which could help identify the kind of people more likely to see more of a benefit than a risk from regularly taking aspirin.