MAJOR ASPIRIN TRIAL BEGINS

THE first ever large-scale trial to investigate if aspirin, the inexpensive common drug, can prevent the return of early stage cancer after treatment has opened in Ireland.

Three hundred volunteers who have had, or have started, treatment for early stage cancer of the breast, stomach, oesophagus, colon, rectum or prostate will join the trial here.

The trial, called AddAspirin, will investigate whether taking aspirin daily for five years after receiving standard therapy – including surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy – can prevent a patient’s cancer returning.

The international trial involves collaboration between experts from Ireland, UK and India. It will have 11,000 participants from all three countries.

The trial is co-ordinated by Cancer Trials Ireland and supported by funding from the Health Research Board and the Irish Cancer Society.

Studies that have looked primarily at the effect of aspirin on heart disease and its side effects found that fewer people taking aspirin appeared to develop cancer. Among those who developed cancer, the disease appeared to be less likely to spread. As these studies were not designed to investigate the effect, if any, of aspirin on cancer, there is insufficient scientific evidence to support its use in preventing the spread of the disease. Dr Gregory Leonard, consultant medical oncologist, Galway University Hospital said: ‘At a time when we are used to new cancer treatments being relatively costly, the possibility of repurposing an inexpensive, generic drug that is available worldwide to stop or slow cancer is potentially ground breaking.’