For decades, aspirin has been known as a go-to painkiller. New research reveals how it can help combat cancer.
Previous studies suggested a link between aspirin use and improved cancer survival, but a study published in Nature last week explains why. However, experts have warned that aspirin is not a treatment, taking risks such as an increased chance of internal bleeding.
So, how does aspirin prevent cancer from spreading? And what does this mean for future treatment?
What did research find out about aspirin use and cancer?
Recent studies have revealed that aspirin, a widely used painkiller, may help prevent spreading cancer, but it is unclear whether it works the same way in all types of illnesses.
Researchers have been exploring this link for decades. The first clinical study published in 1988 showed that regular aspirin use significantly reduced the risk of colorectal cancer, but the underlying reason remained unclear.
Today, new research from the University of Cambridge offers more insights. It discovered a mechanism that helps prevent the spread of cancer, a process known as metastasis.
Metastasis is the cause of most cancer-related deaths as cancer cells try to escape from the original tumor and take root in locations throughout the body.
When these drifting cancer cells become malignant, aspirin increases the body’s natural ability, preventing cancer cells from grasping more organs.
How can aspirin prevent cancer from spreading?
The key to the effects of aspirin on cancer lies in the body’s immune system, a complex network of cells and proteins that protect against infections, diseases and harmful bacteria.
Once cancer cells break out of the tumor, the immune system, particularly the type of white blood cells known as T cells, usually enters the bloodstream that hunts and destroys them. However, platelets – small cell fragments in the blood that help clot – can interfere with this process.
Cancer utilizes platelets by causing a similar reaction to injury. When platelets detect free floating cancer cells, they quickly coat them to cover them, as if they cover the wound to stop the bleeding.
This creates a protective shield, making it even more difficult for the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. Furthermore, platelets release signals that suppress T cells, preventing them from doing their job.
Aspirin destroys cancer trickery attempts by reducing the production of molecules platelets use to suppress immune activity. When platelets weaken, T cells regain their ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells before they have the opportunity to form new tumors.
How can aspirin be used against cancer?
This study suggests that aspirin can be used after treatment such as surgery, where tumors are removed.
This is because some cancer cells may have already escaped the tumor and began to precipitate into other parts of the body. This is a process known as sowing where small cancer cells are embedded in new areas and can later grow into tumors.
However, experts should note that aspirin is used immediately as a cancer treatment without further research. Painkillers can weaken their ability to help blood clot by weakening platelets, which can lead to serious side effects such as internal bleeding.
Aspirin produces platelets and blocks molecules that aggregate together. This will thin your blood and increase the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. This is particularly dangerous in the brain and brain, where aspirin can stimulate the lining and cause ulcers, or in the brain, which increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke when small blood vessels explode.
Furthermore, since this study was conducted in mice rather than humans, its effects on cancer spread should be checked before recommendations for treatment.
“Our research provides a molecular explanation of observations from clinical research, but requires proper clinical validation,” Rahul Roychoudhuri, a professor who was part of the natural research at the Department of Pathology in Cambridge, told Al Jazeera.
Several clinical trials, such as the ad-aspirin trials in the UK, Ireland and India, are underway to determine whether which patients are most likely to benefit from taking aspirin and are useful for certain types of cancer.
Roychoudhuri added that he does not expect an “immediately fast translation” of aspirin for cancer treatment.
Has aspirin been used for illnesses in the past?
Some patients at high genetic risk for cancer, such as those with Lynch syndrome (a condition that increases the likelihood of developing certain cancers), have already recommended aspirin as a precaution in countries such as Australia and the UK.
Since the 1980s, aspirin has been prescribed to prevent heart attacks and strokes in people at high risk of heart disease by reducing the ability of platelets to form harmful blood clots that can block heart disease or blood flow to the brain. This preventive effect of coagulation helps reduce the risk of heart attacks in people with a history of cardiovascular disease.
Does this mean it’s closer to a breakthrough in cancer treatment?
That’s not necessarily the case. Aspirin may help slow or prevent spread of cancer, but it does not completely eliminate tumors.
However, scientists are working to identify measurable signs in the blood – and biomarkers (measurable signs in the blood) that can help detect early on individuals at risk for cancer.
“This allows for timely treatment with aspirin and minimizes unnecessary exposure to those who don’t need it,” said Paola Patrinani, a professor of pharmacology at Gabriele Dannungio University in Italy.
Experts say the findings could also contribute to the development of drugs that inhibit the spread of cancer.
“Our findings open up the possibility of developing more targeted therapies that could potentially benefit without the side effects of aspirin,” said Roychouduri.
Patrignani, who is involved in a research funded by Cancer Research UK, says that when examining whether other antiplatelet drugs like clopidogrel could offer similar benefits, these studies need to complete another three to five years.
However, she is optimistic about where research is heading. “We are at the brink of a major breakthrough in cancer research. This new knowledge can pave the way for innovative treatments and save countless lives.”
Why do cancer treatments remain elusive?
Finding a treatment for cancer is one of the biggest challenges in medicine.
There are many different types of cancer, each with its own unique properties and methods of spreading, making it difficult to develop universal treatments.
Furthermore, tumor development is influenced by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Research suggests that treatments must be personalized to be truly effective.
Many cancers also develop methods to hide or suppress the immune system, making attacks difficult even with immunotherapy.
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