Study: Aspirin May Prevent Spread of Cancer

British researchers have found that the strategic use of aspirin may prevent the spread of certain cancers. This discovery backs up previous studies that showed that people taking daily low-dose aspirin are less likely to have breast, bowel and prostate cancers spread to other areas of their bodies.

Since 90% of deaths occur when cancer spreads, or metastasizes, this breakthrough discovery could lead to treatments that save lives.

According to UK Research and Innovation, researchers from the University of Cambridge screened genes in mice and found that 15 of them had an effect on cancer metastasis.

One particular gene makes a protein called ARHGEF1 that suppresses the production of T cells, immune cells that target and kill metastatic cancer cells. Mice that lacked this gene had less spread of cancer. The scientist found that the ARHGEF1 gene switches on when it’s exposed to the clotting factor called thromboxane A2, or TXA2.

Aspirin decreases the production of TXA2, a molecule that plays a crucial role in platelet aggregation and blood clotting. Lower levels of TXA2 result in reduced platelet aggregation, which is significant because platelets can shield circulating tumor cells from the immune system and facilitate their attachment to other tissues, promoting metastasis. Aspirin releases the suppression of T cells so they can do their job and track down errant cancer cells. Therefore, by curbing TXA2 production, aspirin diminishes the likelihood of cancer cells spreading through the bloodstream to other parts of the body.

“It was a Eureka moment when we found TXA2 was the molecular signal that activates this suppressive effect on T cells,” said Dr Jie Yang, who conducted the research at the University of Cambridge. “Before this, we had not been aware of the implication of our findings in understanding the anti-metastatic activity of aspirin. It was an entirely unexpected finding which sent us down quite a different path of enquiry than we had anticipated.” The groundbreaking study was published in Nature.

The significance of this discovery is that aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be a less expensive and more accessible cancer treatment option globally. However, experts warn that taking daily aspirin can have serious side effects, such as bleeding and stomach ulcers, so it’s always important to talk to your doctor before starting an aspirin regimen.