Does aspirin reduce prostate cancer risk?
Yes, aspirin does. And so does another pain killer, ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs). A daily dose of any of these reduces the risk for development of cancer of the prostate, besides helping lessen the chances of a heart attack and stroke. This was borne out by a 5-year study at the Mayo Clinic involving 1400 men older than 50, where only 4% developed prostatic cancer among those who regularly took one of these painkillers, and 9% among those who did not. The greatest protective effect was noted among those who are between 70 and 79 years old, where there was 83% reduction in cancer risk. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in the USA. Earlier studies have shown that prolonged intake of aspirin or NSAIDs may reduce other types of cancers (colon, rectum, breast, and esophagus). A word of caution: self-medication is dangerous, and could even be fatal because aspirin and NSAIDs can cause gastrointestinal ulcers and massive bleeding. As al
