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Common pain medication could reduce cancer spread, study finds
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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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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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