Aspirin is a “magic bullet” for cancer patients if experts are to be believed. A recent study found that 75 per cent of patients taking a daily dose of the medication were still alive five years after being diagnosed with bowel, stomach, pancreatic and throat cancer.
At the same time, the survival rate for those not on aspirin was just 42 per cent, reports the Daily Mail. The study involved studying 14,000 adult patients and was let by Martine Frouws. Aspirin is also prescribed by doctors to prevent heart attacks and stops particles called platelets in the blood clumping together to form clots. However, Dr Aine McCarthy, of Cancer Research UK, warned that though aspiring is widely available, it should not be taken without a medical prescription because of its serious side-effects like internal bleeding, reports the Daily Mail.
Several other studies are also taking place around the world to explore the benefits of aspirin on cancer. The study conducted by Leiden University Medical Centre will be presented at the European Cancer Congress in Vienna soon.
