Aspirin can be used as part of healthcare plan to prevent bowel cancer, says study

A daily low dose of aspirin should be used as part of healthcare plans aimed at preventing bowel cancer, it has been claimed.

In a study published in the Lancet medical journal, scientists from the University of Oxford analysed data on over 14,000 patients from four study groups over a period of 20 years to identify the impact of regular small doses of the drug.

Their results showed that aspirin reduced the risk of bowel cancer developing by 24 per cent and mortality from bowel cancer by 35 per cent.

The results were consistent across the four trials, with no increase in benefit at doses of aspirin greater than 75 mg daily.

A previous study from the same group of researchers had suggested regular high doses of more than 500 mg of aspirin can reduce bowel cancer rates.

However, over-exposure to aspirin can lead to dangerous side effects, such as internal bleeding and stomach ulcers.

"To date, for healthy middle-aged people it has been a fine balance as to whether to take aspirins, but this tips it in my view," lead researcher Professor Peter Rothwell told the BBC.

"In the future, I am sure it will be shown that aspirin helps prevent other cancers too."

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, with one in 20 people developing the disease over their lifetime. 

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