Daily use of painkillers can lower colon cancer risk

Some earlier studies have already documented the fact that there is a smaller risk of getting colon or rectal cancer among people who take aspirin.

More evidence painkillers lower colon cancer risk
Adding to the growing evidence that painkillers lower colon cancer risk, the latest study has revealed that daily intake of pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen can minimize a person's risk of developing colon cancer.

A report on the study notes that a person’s chances of getting rectal and colon cancers can be reduced by as much as 50 percent by increased use of the painkillers.

The report also noted that people with a family history of colon cancer, which makes them more at risk of developing the disease, can benefit from aspirin or ibuprofen.

Study details
For the study, Dr. Elizabeth Ruder of the National Cancer Institute, the study's lead author, and colleagues assessed questionnaire data from over 300,000 people, looking at how often those people took any of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) pain medications, which included aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen sodium (Aleve), sulindil (Clinoril), and others.

Ruder’s team observed that taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) over 10-years was linked to 20 percent lower risk of getting colorectal cancer.

Taking an NSAID daily led to a 28 percent lowered risk, while the risk was lowered by 14 percent among monthly users, whereas 11 percent drop was seen in weekly users.

“The risk reductions that we saw here are not inconsequential. But we're not at the point that one could make a public health recommendation" based on the findings, Ruder said.

Study findings come with caution
Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute investigator, Amanda Cross, one of the authors of the study, has insisted that they did not weigh the potential benefits of the drugs against their drawbacks.

“There's an elevated risk of gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeds,” she warned. "We're certainly not advocating that people take aspirin to reduce the risk of colon cancer," she told Reuters.

The authors of the study said that further study is required to determine if drugs could be prescribed to patients by a local practitioner.

Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the research is published in the 'American Journal of Gastroenterology.'

About colon cancer
Colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, occurs when there is an abnormal cell growth in the lining of the large intestine (colon) or rectum. There are no early warning signs of this type of cancer.

However, as the disease progresses, the symptoms may include blood in the stool, abdominal pain, a change in bowel habits (such as constipation or diarrhea), unexplained weight loss, or fatigue.

Risk factors of colon cancer depend upon one’s genetics and lifestyle. Some of the risk factors include age, polyps or inflammatory bowel disease, family history of colorectal cancer, and history of ovarian or breast cancer.