Aspirin use decreases the risk of colorectal cancer and is suspected to protect against several other kinds of cancer.

Prostate cancer is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in men over age 65. Preventive measures against it would have a major impact on public health, and aspirin has demonstrated a reduction in prostate cancer risk in previous trials.

A recent study in the journal of Cancer Causes Control appears to confirm these findings:

Researchers analyzed data from Denmark’s nationwide registries to determine aspirin’s effectiveness against prostate cancer. Data was collected on cancer diagnoses, prescription use, hospital assessments, and the socioeconomic status of 35,600 prostate cancer patients. They were compared to an equivalent group of patients without prostate cancer. The focus of the study was on patients who were taking aspirin as well as on patients who had known risk factors for prostate cancer, such as diabetes.

Long term consistent aspirin use was shown to provide modest protection against prostate cancer – about a 14% reduction, with a greater effect the longer it was used. Although this decrease is somewhat small, the cumulative benefit in preventing heart attack, stroke, and other cancers is significant.

Even a small to moderate reduction in prostate cancer risk would add to the benefits of low-dose aspirin and thus increase the clinical value.