The study, conducted by Newcastle University and the University of Leeds, showed that the risk of bowel cancer increases more than double in people with Lynch Syndrome.
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Obese patients had a 1.77 times increased risk of Lynch syndrome-related cancer compared with normal-weight participants.
“CAPP2 has already produced valuable information, showing that for people with an inherited tendency to develop bowel cancer, their risk can be reduced by taking aspirin”.
“This is important for people with Lynch Syndrome but affects the rest of us too”, said Professor Sir John Burn, professor of Clinical Genetics at Newcastle University, who led the worldwide research collaboration.
Another possibility is that the aspirin suppresses the inflammatory response that is increased by obesity. “One explanation for our findings is that the aspirin may be supressing that inflammation which opens up new avenues of research into the cause of cancer”.
The participants were then followed up 10 years later, at which point a total of 55 had developed colon cancers.
A regular dose of aspirin can reduce the long-term risk of cancer in those who are overweight, according to an global study of people with a family history of the disease.
Every unit of body mass index (BMI) above what is considered healthy increased the risk of colon cancer by 7%. “However, for many patients this can be very hard so a simple aspirin may be able to help this group”, Mathers said.
Professor Tim Bishop of the University of Leeds is hopeful for their study, saying that aspirin has the potential to eliminate the increased risk obesity poses for Lynch syndrome patients entirely.
“The team of researchers is now readying a follow-up trial for which they want to recruit 3,000 participants around the world to test the effect of various doses of aspirin”.
For those who are considering an aspirin regimen to reduce cancer risk, Professor Burns says to consult a doctor first, because aspirin is often linked to stomach issues like ulcers. Aspirin intake appear to decrease the risk of colon cancer, however, not recommended in those at average risk.
As the benefits of aspirin appeared to occur before the earliest stages of tumor development, the researchers believe aspirin may affect cells that are predisposed to becoming cancerous over time.
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He warned that a further study needs to show the same results to confirm the protective power of aspirin but the study’s findings could have broad implications.
