Aspirin, more traditionally associated with reducing the risk of heart attacks or heart complications, appears to also prevent the development of pancreatic cancer, researchers have found. — dpa
Taking aspirin regularly cuts the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 40% in people with diabetes and by 20% in the general population, according to research.
The United Kingdom-based Planets cancer charity funded the study, which it said has made a “significant finding” for the treatment of what is “one of the worst” cancers because of its poor survival rate.
Researchers at University Hospital Southampton and the University of Southampton in the UK studied almost 10,000 people from the UK Biobank – a cohort of 500,000 people aged between 37 and 73, recruited between 2006 and 2010.
They found that the risk of developing pancreatic cancer reduced by 40% in people with type 2 diabetes who took aspirin on a regular basis, and by 20% among the general population.
The team points out that this concurs with previous research into aspirin’s preventative effects against the development of other cancers.
The study showed that the risk reduction remained the case at two years and five years from recruitment into the study.
A Planets spokesman said that previous research found that aspirin can block the production of enzymes that increase inflammation in the body and fuel the growth of cancer cells.
He said: “People over 50 who develop new-onset diabetes are 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than the general population.
“Although the reasons for the link are not clearly defined, both are diseases of the pancreas and involve intolerance to sugar.
“The most common form, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cancer (PDAC), has the lowest survival rate of any cancer and is usually detected at an advanced stage, with five-year survival at just 5%.”
The study, published in the journal Pancreatology, is believed to be the largest to examine the association of aspirin and PDAC.
It is the first to show that regular aspirin use is associated with a reduced risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
University Hospital Southampton consultant hepatobiliary, pancreatic and robotic surgeon Dr Zaed Hamady said: “Pancreatic cancer is rated to be one of the worst cancers and almost everyone affected by pancreatic cancer will die within five years of their diagnosis, with long-term survival limited to those diagnosed with early stage disease suitable for curative surgery.
“In addition, the trend of pancreatic cancer is increasing in the UK, as well as worldwide, in a similar way to other cancers and we know there is a particular association between the development of diabetes and pancreatic cancer.
“This large study demonstrates that commonly-used aspirin, which is traditionally associated with reducing the risk of heart attacks or heart complications, can prevent the development of pancreatic cancer.
“We found there is a 20% reduced risk among the general population, which has been demonstrated in the past with other cancers, particularly colon, but can now be replicated in pancreatic cancer.
“However, what is more striking is that the preventative effect is stronger in people with diabetes, with 40% less risk in this patient group.
“Given the association of diabetes with pancreatic cancer risk and the associated poor outcomes for everyone affected, this is a very significant finding.” – PA Media/dpa
