Being an avid follower of various medical research information, I get emails continuously from various journals spotlighting new research information. Just this past week, I received an email highlighting a published paper reviewing the possibility of a decreased mortality in patients that received aspirin therapy. In the article, one researcher was noted to have stated that in their analysis they found upwards of a 37% reduction in cancer mortality in those patients taking aspirin on a routine basis, information cited in The Lancet 2012 as well as the Journal of National Cancer Institute. The overall conclusions to the studies were that there was a noted reduction in overall mortality in cancer patients, but it was too early to determine which dose would be recommended, how often and whether or not the benefits would outweigh the risks.
I have followed cancer research with an open eye and mind over the past 6 years after my own personal diagnosis in 2006. One of the concluding factors that I can see is that there is a strong correlation between ongoing inflammation in our bodies and the development of cancer. The topic is too in depth for a blog setting, but the overall idea is that various inflammatory proteins are involved in the development and progression of cancer. This, I believe, is where the aspirin therapy comes into play in terms of affecting the outcomes in some cancer patients. Aspirin belongs to the category of medications termed non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or NSAIDS, which inhibits the production of COX-1 and COX-2, resulting in the decreased formation of prostagladins as well as thromboxane from arachidonic acid. This new information also correlates well with the knowledge that we have had for years demonstrating that various tumors exhibit a high level of COX expression. In veterinary medicine, for years we have utilized an NSAID medication called Piroxicam to help us manage Transitional Cell Carcinoma bladder cancer in dogs. In some cases, the medication would help to control further progression, while in others not so much. We have also seen over the past decades the research behind various anti-inflammatory herbs such as Curcumin or Turmeric and how these herbs can inhibit inflammatory pathways associated with various cancers at a much higher level than aspirin. The end results, mainly in-vitro, of these research trials demonstrated various cancer cell line inhibition as a result of the herb activity. In addition to these published studies, I have several years of clinical use of these herbs in our veterinary cancer patients with some surprising results.
The bottom line here to me is that there is emerging proof demonstrating the correlation between inflammation and cancer development. The biggest concern that is being expressed is that there are potential side effects with prolonged aspirin therapy, which are justified. Some individuals may be able to tolerate, while some may have existing health conditions that would increased their risk factors with aspirin therapy. I do think that we all need to be aware of the connection as well as the medical research that is being published and discuss it with our doctors. I personally feel that we are all undergoing a tremendous amount of inflammation on a daily basis as a result of activity, various food being eaten as well as lifestyle influences. This has led to the dramatic rise in various health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, arthritis and cancer development. We need to be proactive and recognize that this problem exists. I feel that aspirin therapy may be a good thing for some individuals, but there is a better opportunity for us to head off this inflammatory pathway by the use of diet and various herbal therapies. The results may be even better in the long term and the side effects much fewer. There are so many herbs that exhibit anti-inflammatory benefits such as Curcumin, Boswellia and Ashwaghanda....the list goes on. Many of these same herbs have supporting data to show benefits against cancer development.
With my cancer diagnosis, it shed new light on natural therapies. I have been a long term user of a product called Cur-OST, which is formulated to target inflammation in the body. I wouldn't go a day without it and honestly, if I miss a day....I know it. Google it and check it out.
Food for thought.
Tom
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