Taking only one aspirin a year could lower your risk of stomach cancer by a third. A study conducted by the National Cancer Institute found that those who had taken a single aspirin in the previous 12 months were 36 percent less likely to develop stomach cancer than those who had not taken aspirin. Taking the painkiller more often increased the protective effect: those who took aspirin weekly lowered their risk by 43 percent. Taking ibuprofen also lowered the risk.
The study analyzed the use of painkillers in over 311,000 men and women between the ages of 50 and 71. In the past year, 73 percent had taken aspirin and 56 percent had taken other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, at least once. A quarter reported using aspirin daily and 10 percent used NSAIDs on a daily basis.
“We found that the risk of middle and lower stomach cancer was lower in people who had taken aspirin, and this risk lowered the more regularly they took it,” said study author Dr. Christian Abnet of the National Cancer Institute.
Previous studies have indicated that aspirin can protect against bowel and breast cancer, but doctors still advice against taking it on a regular basis because it can cause gastrointestinal problems, such as bleeding.
Source: NewsMax Health Alerts
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