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Taking a common over-the-counter pain reliever could help keep certain cancers from spreading.
That’s according to a new study from the University of Cambridge, which found that aspirin could reduce cancer metastatis (spread) by stimulating participants’ immune systems.
The findings were published in the journal Nature on March 5.
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In mouse models, scientists discovered that a certain protein called ARHGEF1 suppresses T-cells, which are immune cells that can pinpoint and attack individual cancer cells that break away from original tumors, according to a press release.
ARHGEF1 was “switched on” when T cells were exposed to thromboxane A2 (TXA2), a chemical produced by platelets that helps with blood clotting.
Taking a common over-the-counter pain reliever could help keep certain cancers from spreading, a new study suggests. (iStock)
Too much of TXA2 can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
That’s where aspirin comes in — it is already known to stop the production of TXA2 and prevent clotting, which is why it may be recommended to prevent cardiac events in some people.
“Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies.”
“This new research found that aspirin prevents cancers from spreading by decreasing TXA2 and releasing T cells from suppression,” the press release stated.
In mice with melanoma, the ones that were given aspirin had less frequent metastases of the cancer compared to those who were not given the medication.
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“It was a ‘eureka’ moment when we found TXA2 was the molecular signal that activates this suppressive effect on T cells,” said first author Dr. Jie Yang from the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge in the release.
“Before this, we had not been aware of the implication of our findings in understanding the anti-metastatic activity of aspirin,” he went on.
“Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies, and therefore more accessible globally.”
Aspirin could reduce cancer metastatis (spread) by stimulating participants’ immune systems, the research found. (iStock)
Previous studies have suggested that daily aspirin treatment is associated with reduced cancer spread in humans with the disease and with reduced cancer mortality in patients without metastasis, noted senior researcher Dr. Rahul Roychoudhuri, professor of cancer immunology at the University of Cambridge.
In one randomized controlled trial, taking 600 milligrams of aspirin daily for an average of 25 months substantially reduced cancer incidence in carriers of hereditary colorectal cancer.
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Pashtoon Kasi, M.D., medical director of gastrointestinal medical oncology at City of Hope Orange County in California, reiterated that previous research has linked aspirin use with a reduced risk of cancer, particularly gastrointestinal tract cancers.
“It has been identified in numerous studies with mixed results on reducing the risk of recurrence and/or improving outcomes in patients with metastatic cancer,” Kasi, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.
“This new study further demonstrates how aspirin and other inhibitors of this pathway could be used in new treatments to prevent the cancer from metastasizing or spreading.”
Potential risks
Roychoudhuri, the senior researcher, encouraged caution in applying the findings.
While aspirin is low-cost and widely available, its long-term use is not without “significant risks,” he said, including stomach bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke, particularly in older individuals.
While aspirin is low-cost and widely available, its long-term use is not without “significant risks,” the researcher cautioned. (iStock)
“This is why we emphasize that patients should not start taking aspirin for cancer prevention without specific medical advice from their doctor,” he said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“The risk-benefit calculation varies substantially between individuals based on age, comorbidities and concurrent medications,” the doctor noted.
“Patients interested in aspirin therapy should discuss it with their oncologist or family practitioner, who can evaluate the potential benefits against the risks.”
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Kasi pointed out the study’s potential limitations, primarily that the research was conducted on mice models rather than humans.
“The study also did not take into account complications that some people who use aspirin regularly experience, such as bleeding or interactions with other medications,” he noted.
Experts agree that patients should talk to their doctor to discuss the benefits and health risks associated with regular aspirin use. (iStock)
“However, it builds upon the growing body of evidence … and provides mechanistic insights into how this effect might occur from an immune perspective.”
Kasi agreed that patients should talk to their doctor to discuss the benefits and health risks associated with regular aspirin use.
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“In some cases, low-dose aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs are already being considered in clinical use, as well as in additional trials – for example, for individuals born with Lynch syndrome who have a higher predisposition to developing colorectal, endometrial and other cancers,” he noted.
Next steps
The scientists are planning to conduct more research — through the Add-Aspirin clinical trial, which will recruit more than 10,000 patients with early-stage breast, colorectal, gastroesophageal and prostate cancers across the U.K. and India — to determine whether aspirin can stop or delay the recurrence of these cancers.
“Patients interested in aspirin therapy should discuss it with their oncologist or family practitioner, who can evaluate the potential benefits against the risks.”
“Our research suggests aspirin could potentially be most beneficial for patients with early-stage cancers who have been treated with curative intent but might harbor undetected micrometastases,” Roychoudhuri said.
“However, further clinical validation is needed before specific recommendations can be made.”
The research received funding from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the European Research Council.
The Add-Aspirin clinical trial is funded by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Medical Research Council and the Tata Memorial Foundation of India.
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Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.
A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.
The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.
Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)
The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.
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As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.
The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”
Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)
Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”
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“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”
This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.
“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)
“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”
The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”
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“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”
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The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.
The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.
Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)
“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”
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The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.
“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”
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“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”
Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)
Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”
“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”
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The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.
“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.
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