Colorectal , or bowel, cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , in 2022 alone there were 1.9 million new cases of colorectal cancer and it caused more than 900,000 deaths around the world.
Although most cases occur in people over the age of 50, in some countries incidence is rising in younger people. But the condition can be prevented by following a healthy lifestyle, and screening to detect early signs.
Some research has suggested that, in people with a genetic risk for colorectal cancer, a daily low dose of aspirin can reduce that risk. Other studies have shown that it may help prevent recurrence in people who have had colorectal cancer.
But a new review of the evidence, carried out by researchers from West China Hospital of Sichuan University in China, and published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews , suggests that for people without genetic risk or prior colorectal cancer, there is no evidence that taking daily aspirin reduces colorectal cancer risk.
A Critical appraisal of aspirin for colorectal cancer prevention: design, scope, and limitations
Specifically, extracranial hemorrhage and hemorrhagic stroke were highlighted as adverse events more likely with aspirin exposure in the included studies.
The analysis challenges the notion of a blanket recommendation for aspirin use to prevent bowel cancer in unselected populations.
This would rely on molecular markers and individual risk profiles to identify subgroups that might derive net benefit from aspirin, balancing potential cancer prevention against bleeding risks.