Can non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs really prevent certain types of cancer? That’s the news that has been making the rounds over the past year, recently reaching a fever pitch with the publication of this blockbuster JAMA study.

The study focused on adenomatous polyps, which are a common precursor to colorectal cancer. Preventing one should prevent the other, goes the logic, so researchers set out to discover whether certain medications might have a measurable effect on the development of the polyps:

Dr. Murad and his colleagues showed that nonaspirin NSAIDs are better than all the other compared therapies for preventing recurrence of adenomatous polyps within three to five years following initial polyp removal.

The authors go on to point out that NSAIDs have their drawbacks, including common reactions such as bleeding and stomach upset. Still, when this study is taken along with a recent report linking NSAIDs to an improvement for Alzheimer’s patients, a picture begins to emerge: on balance, aspirin may be even better for us than we suspected.

Want to learn more about the best dosage and management of NSAID therapy as it relates to colon cancer? Contact the Proctology Institute for a full evaluation today.