Long-term aspirin use is associated with a modest but significantly reduced risk for overall cancer, especially gastrointestinal tract tumors, according to a study of 135,965 healthcare professionals. Researchers found:

• Compared to nonregular use, regular aspirin use was associated with lower risk for overall cancer (RR=0.97), primarily lower incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancers (RR=0.85), especially colorectal cancers (RR=0.81).

• Aspirin’s benefit in GI tract cancers seemed evident with use of at least 0.5 to 1.5 standard aspirin tablets/week; the minimum duration associated with reduced risk was 6 years.

• Among individuals aged > 50 years, regular aspirin use could prevent 33 colorectal cancers per 100,000 person-years among those who had not undergone lower endoscopy and 18 colorectal cancers per 100,000 person-years among those who had.

• Regular aspirin use was not associated with risk of breast, advanced prostate, or lung cancers.

Citation: Cao Y, Nishihara R, Wu K, et al. Population-wide impact of long-term use of aspirin and the risk for cancer. [Published online ahead of print March 3, 2016]. JAMA Oncol. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.6396.