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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.
ASPIRIN MAY BE LINKED TO LOWER RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS
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.
COMMON CANCER TREATMENT CAN HAVE THIS PAINFUL SIDE EFFECT
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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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
BACTERIA IN YOUR MOUTH MAY TRAVEL TO THE GUT AND TRIGGER STOMACH CANCER, RESEARCH FINDS
After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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