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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.
DAILY ASPIRIN AFTER A HEART ATTACK CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF FUTURE EVENTS, STUDY FINDS
“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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Eating too much salt has long been linked to high blood pressure, but new research suggests it could trick the immune system into prematurely aging the blood vessels.
A preclinical study recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has identified a biological chain reaction that links a salty diet to cardiovascular decay.
Scientists at the University of South Alabama observed that mice on a high-salt diet experienced rapid deterioration in their blood vessel function.
HIGH SALT INTAKE LINKED TO FASTER MEMORY DECLINE IN ONE GROUP, STUDY FINDS
After just four weeks of high sodium intake, the small arteries responsible for regulating blood flow lost their ability to relax, according to a press release.
The team found that the cells lining these vessels had entered a state of cellular senescence, a form of premature cellular aging in which cells stop dividing and release a mix of inflammatory signals that can damage surrounding tissue.
Excess salt has long been linked to high blood pressure, but a new study goes deeper into its effects on the cardiovascular system. (iStock)
The researchers tried to replicate this damage by exposing blood vessel cells directly to salt in a laboratory dish, but the cells showed no harmful effects.
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This suggests that salt isn’t directly causing damage to the vascular lining but that the real culprit may be the body’s own defense mechanism, the researchers noted.
Excess salt may trigger the immune system to release a molecule called interleukin-16 (IL-16), which acts as a messenger that instructs blood vessel cells to grow old before their time, according to the study.
Excess salt may trigger the immune system to release a molecule called interleukin-16, which acts as a messenger that instructs blood vessel cells to grow old before their time, according to the study. (iStock)
Once these cells age, they fail to produce nitric oxide, the essential gas that tells arteries to dilate and stay flexible.
To test whether this process could be reversed, the team turned to a class of experimental drugs known as senolytics.
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Using a cancer medication called navitoclax, which selectively clears out aged and dysfunctional cells, the researchers were able to restore nearly normal blood vessel function in the salt-fed mice, the release stated.
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By removing the decaying cells created by the high-salt diet, the drug allowed the remaining healthy tissue to maintain its elasticity and respond correctly to blood flow demands.
Excess salt may trigger the immune system into stopping the cells from dividing, the study suggests. (iStock)
The study did have some limitations. The transition from mouse models to human treatment remains a significant hurdle, the team cautioned.
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Senolytic drugs like navitoclax are still being studied for safety, and the team emphasized that previous trials have shown mixed results regarding their impact on artery plaque.
Additionally, the researchers have not yet confirmed whether the same IL-16 pathway is the primary driver of vascular aging in humans.
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Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables was found to have a surprising link to lung cancer among younger non-smokers, early research suggests.
The observational study, led by Jorge Nieva, M.D., of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine, was presented this month at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in San Diego. It has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Researchers looked at dietary, smoking and demographic data for 187 patients who were diagnosed with lung cancer at age 50 or younger.
PANCREATIC CANCER PATIENT SURVIVAL DOUBLED WITH HIGH DOSE OF COMMON VITAMIN, STUDY FINDS
They found that among non-smokers, there was a link between healthier-than-average diets – rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains – and the chance of lung cancer development.
Young lung cancer patients ate more servings of dark green vegetables, legumes and whole grains compared to the average U.S. adult, the researchers found.
Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables was found to have a surprising link to lung cancer among younger non-smokers, early research suggests. (iStock)
The researchers hypothesized that pesticides applied to conventionally grown produce could be a possible factor in the disease association.
“Commercially produced (non-organic) fruits, vegetables and whole grains are more likely to be associated with a higher residue of pesticides than dairy, meat and many processed foods,” according to Nieva. He also noted that agricultural workers exposed to pesticides tend to have higher rates of lung cancer.
HIDDEN VIRUS INSIDE GUT BACTERIA LINKED TO DOUBLED COLORECTAL CANCER RISK, STUDY FINDS
“There is a large subset of lung cancer patients whose disease is not caused by smoking,” Nieva told Fox News Digital.
The disease is becoming more common in non-smokers 50 and younger, especially women – despite the fact that smoking rates have been falling for decades, the researcher noted.
The researchers hypothesized that pesticides applied to conventionally grown produce could be a possible factor in the disease association. (iStock)
“These patients tend to have eaten much healthier diets before their diagnosis than the average American,” he went on. “We need to support research into understanding why Americans – and women in particular – who no longer smoke very much are still having lung cancer,” he said.
DEATHS FROM ONE TYPE OF CANCER ARE SURGING AMONG YOUNGER ADULTS WITHOUT COLLEGE DEGREES
The study did have some limitations, Nieva acknowledged, primarily that it relied on survey data and was limited by the participants’ memories of their food intake.
“Also, the survey participants were self-selected, and this could have biased the findings,” he told Fox News Digital.
“There is a large subset of lung cancer patients whose disease is not caused by smoking.”
The researchers did not test specific foods for pesticides, relying instead on average pesticide levels for certain types of food. Looking ahead, they plan to test patients’ blood and urine samples to directly measure pesticide levels, Nieva said.
Although the study shows only an association and does not prove that pesticides caused lung cancer, Nieva recommends that people wash their produce before eating and choose organic foods whenever possible.
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“This work represents a critical step toward identifying modifiable environmental factors that may contribute to lung cancer in young adults,” said Nieva. “Our hope is that these insights can guide both public health recommendations and future investigation into lung cancer prevention.”
“It is possible that the increased lung cancer risk could be due to pesticide exposure in whole farmed foods, but is by no means certain,” a doctor said. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, said the study is “interesting,” but that it “raises far more questions than it answers.”
“It is a small study (around 150) and observational, so no proof,” the doctor, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.
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“It is possible that the increased lung cancer risk could be due to pesticide exposure in whole farmed foods, but it is by no means certain,” Siegel went on. “How much exposure is needed? How much of it gets into food and in which areas? This requires much further study.”
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Kayla Nichols, communications director for Pesticide Action & Agroecology Network, a distributed global network, said the organization agrees with the study’s conclusion that more research should be done on the rise in lung cancer, particularly in individuals eating diets higher in produce and fiber.
“There is a large subset of lung cancer patients whose disease is not caused by smoking,” the researcher told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“There is a bounty of existing research that already links pesticide exposure to increased risk of multiple types of cancers,” Nichols, who was also not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. She called for more research on chronic, low-level exposures to pesticides, as well as more effective policies to protect the public from pesticide residues on food.
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The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, as well as industry partners including AstraZeneca and Genentech, among others.
Fox News Digital reached out to several pesticide companies and trade groups for comment.
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