Did you see the recent article in the NY Times that suggested aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs significantly reduces the risk of cancer? The real kicker of the whole thing is that no one – doctors, scientists etc. – has been able to explain exactly why. According to the article, “researchers have found that these drugs slow the accumulation of a type of DNA change called somatic genome abnormalities, or S.G.A.’s, that lead to uncontrolled cell growth.”
In more simplistic terms, the anti-inflammatories seem to slow down cell mutation. This recent NY Times article is a pretty fascinating read, check out a few highlights.
Could Aspirin Really Reduce the Risk of Cancer?
-In one study using anti-inflammatories, scientists found patients with an esophagus condition had some precancerous cells develop, but rarely did the problem lead to esophageal cancer.
-When researchers tracked patients with gene abnormalities, during a 12 year period, the use of anti-inflammatories was “associated with a 90 percent reduction in the rate of mutations.”
-According to the article, Dr. Carlo C. Maley, the senior author of a study published in the journal of PLoS Genetics, said the “study is very small and has yet to be reproduced in a larger population. But since most cancers take decades to develop, if you could just slow it down, you could slow it enough to have people die of something else.”
I think this is a pretty incredible discovery – what do you think?
