logo

English
                 
The Lancet, Volume 376, Issue 9754, Pages 1741 - 1750, 20 November 2010

Long-term effect of aspirin on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality: 20-year follow-up of five randomised trials

Prof Peter M Rothwell FMedSci a Corresponding AuthorEmail Address, Michelle Wilson BSc a, Carl-Eric Elwin MD b, Prof Bo Norrving PhD c, Prof Ale Algra MD d, Prof Charles P Warlow FMedSci e, Prof Tom W Meade FRS f

Summary

Background

High-dose aspirin (≥500 mg daily) reduces long-term incidence of colorectal cancer, but adverse effects might limit its potential for long-term prevention. The long-term effectiveness of lower doses (75—300 mg daily) is unknown. We assessed the effects of aspirin on incidence and mortality due to colorectal cancer in relation to dose, duration of treatment, and site of tumour.

Methods

We followed up four randomised trials of aspirin versus control in primary (Thrombosis Prevention Trial, British Doctors Aspirin Trial) and secondary (Swedish Aspirin Low Dose Trial, UK-TIA Aspirin Trial) prevention of vascular events and one trial of different doses of aspirin (Dutch TIA Aspirin Trial) and established the effect of aspirin on risk of colorectal cancer over 20 years during and after the trials by analysis of pooled individual patient data.

Results

In the four trials of aspirin versus control (mean duration of scheduled treatment 6·0 years), 391 (2·8%) of 14 033 patients had colorectal cancer during a median follow-up of 18·3 years. Allocation to aspirin reduced the 20-year risk of colon cancer (incidence hazard ratio [HR] 0·76, 0·60—0·96, p=0·02; mortality HR 0·65, 0·48—0·88, p=0·005), but not rectal cancer (0·90, 0·63—1·30, p=0·58; 0·80, 0·50—1·28, p=0·35). Where subsite data were available, aspirin reduced risk of cancer of the proximal colon (0·45, 0·28—0·74, p=0·001; 0·34, 0·18—0·66, p=0·001), but not the distal colon (1·10, 0·73—1·64, p=0·66; 1·21, 0·66—2·24, p=0·54; for incidence difference p=0·04, for mortality difference p=0·01). However, benefit increased with scheduled duration of treatment, such that allocation to aspirin of 5 years or longer reduced risk of proximal colon cancer by about 70% (0·35, 0·20—0·63; 0·24, 0·11—0·52; both p<0·0001) and also reduced risk of rectal cancer (0·58, 0·36—0·92, p=0·02; 0·47, 0·26—0·87, p=0·01). There was no increase in benefit at doses of aspirin greater than 75 mg daily, with an absolute reduction of 1·76% (0·61—2·91; p=0·001) in 20-year risk of any fatal colorectal cancer after 5-years scheduled treatment with 75—300 mg daily. However, risk of fatal colorectal cancer was higher on 30 mg versus 283 mg daily on long-term follow-up of the Dutch TIA trial (odds ratio 2·02, 0·70—6·05, p=0·15).

Interpretation

Aspirin taken for several years at doses of at least 75 mg daily reduced long-term incidence and mortality due to colorectal cancer. Benefit was greatest for cancers of the proximal colon, which are not otherwise prevented effectively by screening with sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.

Funding

None.
No. Subject Date Author Last Update Views
Notice How to write your comments onto a webpage [2] 2016.07.06 운영자 2016.11.20 18169
Notice How to Upload Pictures in webpages 2016.07.06 운영자 2018.10.19 32310
Notice How to use Rich Text Editor [3] 2016.06.28 운영자 2018.10.19 5893
Notice How to Write a Webpage 2016.06.28 운영자 2020.12.23 43813
483 [Medical]Statins For Atrial Fibrillation(Internal Medicine News) 2013.06.07 이한중*65 2013.06.07 3827
482 [Medical] Invokana Outperformed Januvia in Type 2 Diabetes [1] 2013.06.30 이한중*65 2013.06.30 3814
481 [Medical Column] 26. 비만과 건강-2 2012.01.05 이종구*57 2012.01.05 3783
480 [Medical] Brain Initiative Unveiled 2013.04.14 이한중*65 2013.04.14 3714
479 Great News, Cancer Therapy 2013.07.14 김영철*61 2013.07.14 3681
478 [Medical Column] 25. 비만과 건강-1 [1] 2012.01.04 이종구*57 2012.01.04 3647
477 The Link Between Smoking and Crohn's Disease [1] 2013.05.21 운영자 2013.05.21 3637
476 Hepatitis C, Curative Oral Drugs Coming [2] 2013.11.04 이한중*65 2013.11.04 3619
475 Re-evaluation of "Aspirin a day" [2] 2010.10.15 운영자 2010.10.15 3613
474 [Medical] Interpreting LDL Cholesterol levels Correctly [2] 2013.06.17 이한중*65 2013.06.17 3545
473 [Medical Column] 소금은 얼마나 먹어야하나 [2] 2012.04.04 이종구*57 2012.04.04 3481
472 [Medical Column] 14. 뇌졸증-2 2011.10.07 이종구*57 2011.10.07 3354
471 [Medical Journal] Aspirin reduces cancer death [2] 2012.03.21 Rover 2012.03.21 3344
470 Vitamin D blood level and UV radiation [2] 2013.06.11 김영철*61 2013.06.11 3302
» [Medical Journal] Aspirin reduces Colon Cancer 2012.03.21 Rover 2012.03.21 3300
468 Why Your DNA Isn't Your Destiny - TIME magazine [4] 2010.01.11 운영자 2010.01.11 3293
467 [Medical] Juicing can be dangerous. [1] 2013.08.28 이한중*65 2013.08.28 3279
466 [Medical Column] 15. 뇌졸증-3 2011.10.12 이종구*57 2011.10.12 3266
465 [Medical] Why So Hard To Wash Hands? (NY Times) 2013.05.29 이한중*65 2013.05.29 3242
464 [Medical] Potential Adverse CV Effects of Excessive Excercise [1] 2012.07.01 이한중*65 2012.07.01 3212