Regular dose of daily aspirin found to reduce the risk of bowel cancer in high risk people for a decade after stopping treatment
Results of a new international study have found that people with lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that can increase your lifetime risk of developing bowel cancer by up to 80%, can benefit from taking two aspirins a day for a couple of years, and that this preventative effect lasts for over ten years.
The findings of the international trial - known as CAPP2 – involved patients with Lynch syndrome from around the world and revealed that two aspirins a day, for an average of two and a half years, lowered the chances of people developing bowel cancer by half.
The study, led by Bowel Cancer UK Medial Advisory Board member Professor Sir John Burn and colleagues at the Universities of Newcastle and Leeds, was published in The Lancet today and further strengthens the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on taking daily aspirin for those at high risk of developing bowel cancer.
Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK said: “It’s incredible to see such positive research results that will have a huge impact on people living with Lynch syndrome, where they’re able to minimise their risk of bowel cancer by half with something as simple as taking daily aspirin. With an estimated 200,000 people in the UK with Lynch syndrome, improvements to their management and surveillance is a step in the right direction.
“If you have Lynch syndrome and are considering taking daily aspirin, it’s important to speak to your clinical team first. Aspirin can have potentially serious side effects in some people, so it’s important to make sure this is the right option for you before starting any new treatment."
- Find out more about Lynch syndrome
- Read about our campaigning work to improve the diagnosis and care of people with Lynch syndrome
