A daily dose of an over-the-counter painkiller can substantially cut the risk of specific colorectal cancers recurring after surgery, new findings suggest.
Swedish researchers have demonstrated that a daily low dose of aspirin can slash the likelihood of the cancer returning by 55 per cent in patients carrying specific genetic alterations.
The remarkable finding emerged from a comprehensive Scandinavian clinical trial examining how the common painkiller affects cancer recurrence in individuals with mutations in PIK3 signalling pathway genes.
Scientists from Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital spearheaded the research, which represents the first randomised study to establish aspirin's potent protective effect in this genetic subset.
A daily low dose of aspirin can slash the likelihood of the cancer returning
| GETTYThe PIK3 mutations, which are present in roughly 40 per cent of colorectal cancer patients, typically cause cellular processes to malfunction, resulting in unchecked cell growth and tumour formation.
The trial enrolled more than 3,500 colorectal cancer patients from 33 medical centres across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.
Participants whose tumours contained PIK3 pathway mutations were randomly assigned to take either 160mg of aspirin each day or a placebo pill for three years following their cancer surgery.
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The research team's findings, now published in The New England Journal of Medicine, mark a significant advance in understanding how genetic markers can guide cancer treatment.
Previous research had hinted at aspirin's potential benefits for colorectal cancer patients, but results remained inconclusive until now.
Professor Anna Martling from Karolinska Institutet's Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery said: "Aspirin is being tested here in a completely new context as a precision medicine treatment.
"This is a clear example of how we can use genetic information to personalise treatment and at the same time save both resources and suffering."
Approximately 32,000 cases of colon cancer are diagnosed annually in the UK | GETTYThe medication's global accessibility and minimal expense compared to contemporary cancer therapies make it particularly promising for healthcare systems worldwide.
Nearly two million individuals receive colorectal cancer diagnoses annually, with 20 to 40 per cent developing metastases that complicate treatment and worsen outcomes.
Scientists believe aspirin's cancer-fighting properties stem from multiple biological pathways working simultaneously.
The drug appears to reduce inflammation while disrupting platelet activity and constraining tumour expansion, creating conditions hostile to cancer cell survival.
"Although we do not yet fully understand all the molecular links, the findings strongly support the biological rationale and suggest that the treatment may be particularly effective in genetically defined subgroups of patients," professor Martling added.