Women who used aspirin on a regular basis had a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer according to data from the Nurse’s Health Study. Deaths from colorectal cancer were reduced by 28 percent.
The Nurse’s Health Study has followed nearly 80,000 women over 24 years. During that time nearly 10,000 women have died. Overall deaths were 25 percent lower among women who reported regular aspirin use. Aspirin had a larger impact on cardiovascular deaths, reducing them by 38 percent, than on cancer which had a 12 percent reduction.
In addition, cardiovascular mortality reduction was seen sooner, after five years of aspirin use compared to ten years for cancer.
Writing in the March 26, 2007 Archives of Internal Medicine, Andrew T. Chan, MD, MPH and his colleagues concluded,
In women, low to moderate doses of aspirin are associated with significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality, particularly in older women and those with cardiac risk factors. A significant benefit is evident within 5 years for cardiovascular disease, whereas a modest benefit for cancer is not apparent until after 10 years of use.
However, it is important to realize that regular aspirin use has risks as well as benefits. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends against the routine use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent colorectal cancer.
An additional article about the study appears on the Cancer Consultants website.
SOURCE: Chan et. al., Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 167, No. 6, pp. 562-572, March 26, 2007.
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