Aspirin doesn’t prevent bowel cancer—but it causes brain bleeds

Doctors routinely recommend aspirin to prevent bowel cancer—but it doesn’t work and it comes with its own risks.

If the painkiller does have any protective effect, it won’t be seen for at least 10 years, but risks of brain and stomach bleeds start from day one, say researchers from the independent review group, Cochrane.

Doctors have been recommending nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, to reduce the risk of bowel, or colorectal, cancer in people at low risk.

But hardly any evidence suggests the drugs reduce the risk and yet the chances of a serious stomach bleed are very real, say researchers from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University in China on behalf of Cochrane.

They reviewed 10 randomized controlled trials involving 124,837 participants, and discovered that NSAIDs don’t protect against bowel cancer, even after taking them for 15 years. But there was strong evidence that the drugs increase the risk of serious extracranial haemorrhage and raise the risk of haemorrhagic stroke.  Even low-dose “baby” aspirin increases the likelihood of bleeding. Older adults and people with a history of ulcers or bleeding disorders may face especially high risks.

Instead, it’s better to reduce your risk of bowel cancer by adopting a healthier lifestyle, the researchers say.

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