Aspirin and cancer cells. Cancer Prevention: Aspirin - New in Oncology

. Worry about unmanageable side effects (such as constipation, nausea, or clouding of consciousness. Worry about addiction to pain medications. treatment can be too expensive for patients and their families Tight regulation of controlled substances Problems with access to or access to treatment Opiates not available in pharmacies for patients Unavailable drugs Flexibility is key to managing cancer pain As patients differ in diagnosis, stages of the disease, reactions to pain and personal preferences, then it is necessary to be guided by these particular features. 6

to cure or at least stabilize the development of cancer. Like other therapies, the choice of using radiation therapy to treat a particular cancer depends on a number of factors. These include, but are not limited to, the type of cancer, the physical condition of the patient, the stage of the cancer, and the location of the tumor. Radiation therapy (or radiotherapy is an important technology for shrinking tumors. High energy waves are directed at a cancerous tumor. The waves cause damage to cells, disrupting cellular processes, preventing cell division, and ultimately lead to the death of malignant cells. The death of even a part of malignant cells leads to One significant disadvantage of radiation therapy is that the radiation is non-specific (that is, not directed exclusively at cancer cells for cancer cells and can harm healthy cells as well. The response of normal and cancerous tissue to therapy The response of tumor and normal tissues to radiation depends on their growth pattern before and during treatment.Radiation kills cells through interaction with DNA and other target molecules.Death does not occur instantly, but occurs when cells try to divide, but as a result of exposure to radiation, a failure in the division process occurs, called abortive mitosis. For this reason, radiation damage appears faster in tissues containing cells that divide rapidly, and it is cancer cells that divide rapidly. Normal tissues compensate for the cells lost during radiation therapy by speeding up the division of the rest of the cells. In contrast, tumor cells begin to divide more slowly after radiation therapy, and the tumor may shrink in size. The degree of tumor shrinkage depends on the balance between cell production and cell death. Carcinoma is an example of a type of cancer that often has a high rate of division. These types of cancer generally respond well to radiation therapy. Depending on the dose of radiation used and the individual tumor, the tumor may start to grow again after stopping therapy, but often more slowly than before. Radiation is often combined with surgery and/or chemotherapy to prevent tumor re-growth. Targets of Radiation Therapy Curative: For curative purposes, exposure is usually increased. Response to radiation ranging from mild to severe. Symptom Relief: This procedure is aimed at relieving the symptoms of cancer and prolonging survival, creating a more comfortable living environment. This type of treatment is not necessarily done with the intention of curing the patient. Often this type of treatment is given to prevent or eliminate pain caused by cancer that has metastasized to the bone. Radiation instead of surgery: Radiation instead of surgery is an effective tool against a limited number of cancers. Treatment is most effective if the cancer is found early, while it is still small and non-metastatic. Radiation therapy may be used instead of surgery if the location of the cancer makes surgery difficult or impossible to perform without serious risk to the patient. Surgery is the treatment of choice for lesions that are located in an area where radiation therapy can do more harm than surgery. The time it takes for the two procedures is also very different. Surgery can be quickly performed once the diagnosis is made; radiation therapy can take weeks to be fully effective. There are pros and cons to both procedures. Radiation therapy may be used to save organs and/or avoid surgery and its risks. Radiation destroys the rapidly dividing cells in tumors, while surgical procedures may miss some of the malignant cells. However, large tumor masses often contain oxygen-poor cells in the center that do not divide as rapidly as cells near the surface of the tumor. Because these cells are not rapidly dividing, they are not as sensitive to radiation therapy. For this reason, large tumors cannot be destroyed with radiation alone. Radiation and surgery are often combined during treatment. Useful articles for a better understanding of radiotherapy: "> Radiation Therapy 5

Skin reactions with targeted therapy Skin problems Dyspnea Neutropenia Nervous system disorders Nausea and vomiting Mucositis Menopausal symptoms Infections Hypercalcemia Male sex hormone Headaches Hand and foot syndrome Hair loss (alopecia) Lymphedema Ascites Pleurisy Edema Depression Cognitive problems Bleeding Loss of appetite Restlessness and anxiety Anemia Confusion Delirium Difficulty swallowing Dysphagia Dry mouth Xerostomia Neuropathy For specific side effects, read the following articles: "> Side effects36

cause cell death in different directions. Some of the drugs are natural compounds that have been identified in various plants, while others are chemicals created in the laboratory. Several different types of chemotherapy drugs are briefly described below. Antimetabolites: Drugs that can interfere with the formation of key biomolecules within a cell, including nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA. These chemotherapeutic agents ultimately interfere with the replication process (production of a daughter DNA molecule and therefore cell division. Examples of antimetabolites include the following drugs: Fludarabine, 5-Fluorouracil, 6-Thioguanine, Flutorafur, Cytarabine. Genotoxic drugs: Drugs that can damage DNA By causing this damage, these agents interfere with the process of DNA replication and cell division.For example, drugs: Busulfan, Carmustine, Epirubicin, Idarubicin.Spindle inhibitors (or mitosis inhibitors: These chemotherapy agents aim to prevent proper cell division , interacting with components of the cytoskeleton that allow one cell to divide into two parts.As an example, the drug paclitaxel, which is obtained from the bark of the Pacific Yew and semi-synthetically from the English Yew (Yew berry, Taxus baccata. Both drugs are prescribed as a series of intravenous injections. Others chemotherapy tic agents: These agents inhibit (slow down cell division by mechanisms that are not covered in the three categories listed above. Normal cells are more resistant (resistant to drugs because they often stop dividing under conditions that are not favorable. However, not all normal dividing cells avoid exposure to chemotherapy drugs, which is evidence of the toxicity of these drugs. those that divide, for example, in the bone marrow and in the lining of the intestine, tend to suffer the most. The death of normal cells is one of the common side effects of chemotherapy. For more on the nuances of chemotherapy, see the following articles: "> Chemotherapy 6

and non-small cell lung cancer. These types are diagnosed based on how the cells look under a microscope. Based on the established type, treatment options are selected. To understand disease prognosis and survival, here are the US open source statistics for 2014 for both types of lung cancer together: New cases (prognosis: 224,210 Predicted deaths: 159,260 Let's take a closer look at both types, specifics and treatment options. "> Lung Cancer 4
in the US in 2014: New cases: 232,670 Deaths: 40,000 Breast cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among women in the US (open sources estimate that 62,570 cases of pre-invasive diseases (in situ, 232,670 new cases of invasive disease, and 40,000 deaths.Thus, less than one in six women diagnosed with breast cancer dies from the disease.In comparison, about 72,330 American women are estimated to die from lung cancer in 2014. Breast Cancer glands in men (yes, yes, there is such a thing. It accounts for 1% of all cases of breast cancer and mortality from this disease. Widespread screening has increased the incidence of breast cancer and changed the characteristics of detected cancer. Why did it increase? Yes, because the use of modern methods has made it possible to detect incidence of low-risk cancer, precancerous lesions, and ductal cancer in situ (DCIS. Population-based studies conducted in the USA and in UK show an increase in DCIS and incidence of invasive breast cancer since 1970, this is due to the widespread use of postmenopausal hormone therapy and mammography. In the past decade, women have abstained from the use of postmenopausal hormones and the incidence of breast cancer has declined, but not to the level that can be achieved with the widespread use of mammography. Risk and protective factors Increasing age is the most important risk factor for breast cancer. Other risk factors for breast cancer include the following: Family history o Underlying genetic susceptibility Sexual mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, and other breast cancer susceptibility genes Alcohol consumption Breast tissue density (mammographic) Estrogen (endogenous: o Menstrual history (onset of menses) / late menopause o No history of childbirth o Older age at first child birth History of hormone therapy: o Combination estrogen and progestin (HRT Oral contraception Obesity Lack of exercise Personal history of breast cancer Personal history of proliferative forms of benign breast disease Breast radiation exposure Of all of women with breast cancer, 5% to 10% may have germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.Research has shown that specific mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are more common among women of Jewish descent. Men who carry the BRCA2 mutation also have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Mutations in both the BRCA1 gene and BRCA2 also create an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer or other primary cancers. Once BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations have been identified, it is desirable for other family members to get genetic counseling and testing. Protective factors and measures to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer include the following: Estrogen use (especially after a hysterectomy Establishing an exercise habit Early pregnancy Breastfeeding Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) Aromatase inhibitors or inactivators Reduced risk of mastectomy Reduced risk of oophorectomy or removal Ovarian Ovarian Screening Clinical trials have found that screening asymptomatic women with mammography, with or without clinical breast examination, reduces breast cancer mortality. Stage of the disease Choice of therapy The following tests and procedures are used to diagnose breast cancer: Mammography Ultrasound Magnetic resonance imaging of the breast (MRI if clinically indicated Biopsy Contralateral cancer Breast Pathologically, breast cancer can be multicentric and bilateral. Bilateral disease is somewhat more common in patients with infiltrating focal carcinoma. For 10 years after diagnosis, the risk of primary breast cancer in the contralateral breast ranges from 3% to 10%, although endocrine therapy may reduce this risk. The development of second breast cancer is associated with an increased risk of long-term recurrence. In the case when the BRCA1 / BRCA2 gene mutation was diagnosed before the age of 40, the risk of second breast cancer in the next 25 years reaches almost 50%. Patients diagnosed with breast cancer should have bilateral mammography at the time of diagnosis to rule out synchronous disease. The role of MRI in screening for contralateral breast cancer and monitoring women treated with breast preservation therapy continues to evolve. Because an increased detection rate on mammography of possible disease has been demonstrated, the selective use of MRI for adjunctive screening is occurring more frequently, despite the absence of randomized controlled data. Because only 25% of MRI-positive findings represent malignancy, pathologic confirmation is recommended prior to initiating treatment. Whether this increase in the rate of disease detection will lead to improved treatment outcomes is unknown. Prognostic factors Breast cancer is usually treated with various combinations of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. Conclusions and selection of therapy may be influenced by the following clinical and pathological features (based on conventional histology and immunohistochemistry): Patient's climacteric status. Disease stage. Grade of the primary tumor. Tumor status depending on the status of estrogen receptors (ER and progesterone receptors (PR. Histological types). Breast cancer is classified into different histological types, some of which are of prognostic value.For example, favorable histological types include colloidal, medullary, and tubular cancer.The use of molecular profiling in breast cancer includes the following: ER and PR status testing. HER2/Neu status Based on these results, breast cancer is classified as: Hormone receptor positive HER2 positive Triple negative (ER, PR, and HER2/Neu negative Although some rare inherited mutations, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, are are predisposed to the development of breast cancer in carriers of the mutation, however, prognostic data on carriers of the BRCA1 /BRCA2 mutation are contradictory; these women are simply at greater risk of developing second breast cancer. But it is not certain that this can happen. Hormone Replacement Therapy After careful consideration, patients with severe symptoms may be treated with hormone replacement therapy. Follow-up The frequency of follow-up and the appropriateness of screening after completion of primary treatment for stage I, stage II, or stage III breast cancer remains controversial. Evidence from randomized trials shows that periodic follow-up with bone scans, liver ultrasound, chest x-rays, and blood tests for liver function does not improve survival or quality of life at all compared to routine physical exams. Even when these tests allow early detection of recurrence of the disease, this does not affect the survival of patients. Based on these data, limited follow-up and annual mammography for asymptomatic patients treated for stage I to III breast cancer may be an acceptable follow-up. More information in the articles: "> Mammary cancer5
, ureters, and proximal urethra are lined with a specialized mucous membrane called transitional epithelium (also called urothelium. Most cancers that form in the bladder, renal pelvis, ureters, and proximal urethra are transitional cell carcinomas (also called urothelial carcinomas, derived from transitional epithelium Transitional cell bladder cancer can be low-grade or high-grade: Low-grade bladder cancer often recurs in the bladder after treatment, but rarely invades the muscular walls of the bladder or spreads to other parts of the body Patients rarely die from bladder cancer High-grade bladder cancer usually recurs in the bladder and also has a strong tendency to invade the muscular walls of the bladder and spread to other parts of the body. severe than low-grade bladder cancer and much more likely to result in death. Almost all deaths from bladder cancer are the result of highly malignant cancers. Bladder cancer is also divided into muscle-invasive and non-muscle-invasive disease, based on invasion of the muscle lining (also referred to as the detrusor, which is located deep in the muscular wall of the bladder. Muscle-invasive disease is much more likely to spread to other parts of the body and is usually treated with either removal of the bladder or treatment of the bladder with radiation and chemotherapy.As noted above, high-grade cancers are much more likely to be muscle-invasive cancers than low-grade cancers.Thus, muscle invasive cancer is generally viewed as more aggressive than non-muscle invasive cancer Non-muscle invasive disease can often be treated by removing the tumor using a transurethral approach and sometimes chemotherapy or other procedures in which a drug is injected into the urinary tract. bladder with a catheter to help fight with cancer. Cancer can occur in the bladder in conditions of chronic inflammation, such as a bladder infection caused by the parasite haematobium Schistosoma, or as a result of squamous metaplasia; The incidence of squamous cell bladder cancer is higher in chronically inflammatory conditions than otherwise. In addition to transitional carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, and sarcoma can form in the bladder. In the United States, transitional cell carcinomas constitute the vast majority (over 90% of bladder cancers). However, a significant number of transitional carcinomas have areas of squamous or other differentiation. Carcinogenesis and Risk Factors There is strong evidence for the effect of carcinogens on the occurrence and development of bladder cancer. The most common risk factor for developing bladder cancer is cigarette smoking.It is estimated that up to half of all bladder cancers are caused by smoking and that smoking increases the risk of developing bladder cancer in two to four times the baseline risk.Smokers with less functional polymorphism N-acetyltransferase-2 (known as a slow acetylator) have a higher risk of developing bladder cancer compared to other smokers, apparently due to decreased ability to detoxify carcinogens. Some occupational exposures have also been associated with urinary cancer. bladder cancer, and higher rates of bladder cancer have been reported due to textile dyes and rubber in the tire industry; among artists; workers of leather processing industries; shoemakers; and aluminium-, iron- and steelworkers. Specific chemicals associated with bladder carcinogenesis include beta-naphthylamine, 4-aminobiphenyl, and benzidine. While these chemicals are now generally banned in Western countries, many other chemicals that are still in use are also suspected of triggering bladder cancer. Exposure to the chemotherapy agent cyclophosphamide has also been associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer. Chronic urinary tract infections and infections caused by the parasite S. haematobium are also associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, and often squamous cell carcinoma. Chronic inflammation is believed to play a key role in the process of carcinogenesis under these conditions. Clinical features Bladder cancer usually presents with simple or microscopic hematuria. Less commonly, patients may complain of frequent urination, nocturia, and dysuria, symptoms that are more common in patients with carcinoma. Patients with urothelial cancer of the upper urinary tract may experience pain due to tumor obstruction. It is important to note that urothelial carcinoma is often multifocal, necessitating examination of the entire urothelium if a tumor is found. In patients with bladder cancer, imaging of the upper urinary tract is essential for diagnosis and follow-up. This can be achieved with ureteroscopy, retrograde pyelogram in cystoscopy, intravenous pyelogram, or computed tomography (CT urogram). In addition, patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract are at high risk of developing bladder cancer; these patients need periodic cystoscopy and observation of the opposite upper urinary tract Diagnosis When bladder cancer is suspected, the most useful diagnostic test is cystoscopy Radiological examination such as computed tomography or ultrasound is not sensitive enough to be useful in detecting bladder cancer Cystoscopy may be performed in the urology If cancer is found during cystoscopy, the patient is usually scheduled for a bimanual examination under anesthesia and a repeat cystoscopy in the operating room so that transurethral resection of the tumor and/or biopsy can be performed. in those who die of bladder cancer almost always have bladder metastases to other organs. Low-grade bladder cancer rarely grows into the muscular wall of the bladder and rarely metastasizes, so patients with low-grade (Stage I bladder cancer) very rarely die from the cancer. However, they may experience multiple recurrences that need to be treated. resections.Almost all deaths from bladder cancer occur among patients with high-grade disease, which has a much greater potential to invade deep into the muscular walls of the bladder and spread to other organs.Approximately 70% to 80% of patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer bladder have superficial bladder tumors (i.e. stage Ta, TIS, or T1. The prognosis of these patients depends largely on the grade of the tumor. Patients with high-grade tumors have a significant risk of dying from cancer, even if it is not muscle-invasive cancer Those patients with high-grade tumors who have been diagnosed Superficial, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer is diagnosed in most cases with a high chance of cure, and even in the presence of muscle-invasive disease, sometimes the patient can be cured. Studies have shown that in some patients with distant metastases, oncologists have achieved a long-term complete response after treatment with a combination chemotherapy regimen, although in most of these patients, metastases are limited to their lymph nodes. Secondary Bladder Cancer Bladder cancer tends to recur even if it is non-invasive at the time of diagnosis. Therefore, it is standard practice to conduct surveillance of the urinary tract after a diagnosis of bladder cancer has been made. However, studies have not yet been conducted to assess whether observation affects progression rates, survival, or quality of life; although there are clinical trials to determine the optimal follow-up schedule. Urothelial carcinoma is believed to reflect a so-called field defect in which the cancer is due to genetic mutations that are widely present in the patient's bladder or throughout the urothelium. Thus, people who have had a resected bladder tumor often subsequently have ongoing tumors in the bladder, often in locations other than the primary tumor. Similarly, but less frequently, they may develop tumors in the upper urinary tract (i.e., in the renal pelvis or ureters. An alternative explanation for these patterns of recurrence is that cancer cells that are destroyed when the tumor is resected may be reimplanted in another location in the urothelium.Supporting this second theory, that tumors are more likely to recur below than backward from the initial cancer.Upper tract cancer is more likely to recur in the bladder than bladder cancer is to replicate in the upper urinary tract. The rest in the following articles: "> bladder cancer4
and an increased risk of metastatic disease. The degree of differentiation (determining the stage of tumor development has an important influence on the natural history of this disease and on the choice of treatment. An increase in cases of endometrial cancer has been found in connection with prolonged, unopposed exposure to estrogen (increased levels. In contrast, combination therapy (estrogen + progesterone prevents the increased risk of endometrial cancer associated with the lack of resistance to the effects of specific estrogen.Getting a diagnosis is not the best time.However, you should be aware - endometrial cancer is a treatable disease.Watch the symptoms and everything will be fine!In some patients, it can play a role "activator" of endometrial cancer a previous history of complex hyperplasia with atypia An increase in the incidence of endometrial cancer has also been found in association with the treatment of breast cancer with tamoxifen. According to researchers, this is due to the estrogenic effect of tamoxifen on the endometrium. Because of this increase, p Patients on tamoxifen therapy should be required to undergo regular pelvic examinations and should be alert to any abnormal uterine bleeding. Histopathology The spread of malignant endometrial cancer cells depends in part on the degree of cellular differentiation. Well-differentiated tumors tend to limit their spread to the surface of the uterine mucosa; myometrial expansion occurs less frequently. In patients with poorly differentiated tumors, invasion of the myometrium is much more common. Invasion of the myometrium is often a precursor to lymph node involvement and distant metastases, and often depends on the degree of differentiation. Metastasis occurs in the usual way. Spread to the pelvic and para-aortic nodes is common. When distant metastases occur, it most often occurs in: Lungs. Inguinal and supraclavicular nodes. Liver. Bones. Brain. Vagina. Prognostic factors Another factor that is associated with ectopic and nodular tumor spread is the involvement of the capillary-lymphatic space in the histological examination. The three clinical stage I prognostic groupings were made possible by careful operative staging. Patients with a stage 1 tumor involving only the endometrium and no evidence of intraperitoneal disease (i.e. adnexal extension) are at low risk (">Endometrial Cancer 4

- a well-known antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Its practical properties do not end there. The drug is used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. With regular use, the likelihood of getting a heart attack and stroke is significantly reduced. Modern medicine has been studying the cause of the appearance of malignant tumors since the middle of the twentieth century. At the moment, research is underway on the use of aspirin as a cancer prevention. Professor at Oxford University and one of the leaders of the defining research, Peter Rothwell, has received strong evidence of the effect of the drug against the disease. For 10 years, the researchers followed the health status of about 80,000 cancer patients who partly took aspirin constantly. Additionally, a group of scientists worked to determine its effectiveness as a cancer prevention. The results of 10 years of work were published in the authoritative journal The Lancet - daily small doses of acetylsalicylic acid are effective in preventing and treating a serious illness.

Important! The drug has side effects - the activity of the gastrointestinal tract worsens (the patient complains of pain). People with gastritis or an ulcer should take aspirin with caution - it provokes internal bleeding. It is strictly contraindicated for patients with hemophilia - blood clotting is disturbed, which is deadly.

Pregnant and lactating mothers - only after consultation with the attending physician.

To date, scientists have not come to an opinion about the unconditional effectiveness of the drug. But many of them believe that the potential benefits outweigh the side effects of use on the body.

Aspirin is not a universal remedy for cancer of all forms. Research by a Cardiff University research team led by Peter Elwood showed a reduction in the development of tumors in the intestines, mammary glands and prostate.

Tumor of the colon and rectum

Colon cancer is one of the most common and dangerous forms of cancer. On the territory of Russia, he takes 3rd place. High mortality of patients is associated with asymptomatic course of the disease. The diagnosis is often made at the stage of metastasis, when the body is exhausted by the struggle for life.

It is interesting! Patients themselves often skip the initial stage of the disease. It is psychologically difficult for a person to decide on a standard diagnostic procedure (colonoscopy).

The difficulty of detecting bowel cancer in the early stages is pushing scientists to organize new studies. In the Netherlands, under the guidance of Professor John Bourne, 861 patients with Lynch syndrome (a genetic disease that provokes colon cancer, often at a young age) took 2 aspirin tablets (600 mg) for prophylaxis for 2 years. During this period, in the control group, the risk of the disease decreased by 63%.

Prevention of cancerous tumors

Statistical data from doctors from Japan and the UK show that acetylsalicylic acid daily in small doses (up to 750 mg) for middle-aged people (35-50 years) helps reduce the risk of death from prostate cancer (by 10%), lungs (30%), intestines (40%), esophagus (60%) for the next 20 years.

Aspirin against cancer is recommended to be taken at night with milk. This will help avoid irritation of the walls of the esophagus and intestines. The preventive effect occurs after 5 years of constant use. Long-term use (more than 10 years) blocks the formation of cancer cells, has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.

It is important to understand that the effect of aspirin on the human body and the development of cancerous tumors has not been fully studied. We can definitely say that if its positive effect is confirmed by serious long-term tests, humanity will receive a new medicine available to everyone for a terrible oncological disease.

Aspirin is an inexpensive drug that is found in almost all household medicine cabinets and is used as an antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, but not many people know about the effectiveness of aspirin against cancer. It is about this property of aspirin that we will talk in our article.

As a result of numerous studies conducted by scientists in Europe and America (and not only in mice), the effect of acetylsalicylic acid on prostaglandins has been proven. This hormone is “friendly” with microbes and viruses penetrating the body, thereby provoking inflammatory processes.

The same hormone causes platelets to stick together, which becomes a serious problem for blood vessels. So the main "calling" of acetylsalicylic acid is to block the action of the hormone prostaglandin.

How aspirin works:

preventing platelets from sticking together, the drug prevents blood thickening, minimizing the risk of blood clots and the development of cardiovascular diseases;
blocking the activity of prostaglandin, aspirin prevents the development of inflammatory processes;
since this hormone also provokes an increase in body temperature, acetylsalicylic acid lowers it by its action;
the drug increases the production of interferon in the body, which helps to strengthen the immune system.

But it should be taken into account that the beneficial properties of the drug have a negative effect. The same ability to stick together platelets leads to the fact that blood cells lose their functions, and this is very bad for the body.

As a result, the blood becomes thinner. For people with increased blood clotting, this is good - aspirin can normalize this indicator. But if it becomes below the norm, then bleeding of a different nature is possible.

Impact on cancer cells

In addition to the properties described above, there has recently been talk about the ability of acetylsalicylic acid to positively affect cancer cells. It turns out that the same prostaglandin, produced by the body in large quantities, leads not only to a violation of the immune system - there is a “kink” in the DNA structure, which provokes the appearance of neoplasms.

After observing mice with oncology for several years, scientists came to the conclusion that daily aspirin intake reduced the growth of cancer cells by 20% during this time. And all thanks to its property to block the activity of a harmful enzyme.

The essence of the mechanism is that acetylsalicylic acid makes the AMK kinase protein, which is responsible for the regulation of metabolism, more active. Protein also controls the energy balance in the body and promotes the regeneration of healthy cells.

But aspirin does not have a curative effect on all types of oncology - a positive effect on cancer was mainly observed in cases of colon tumors, as well as intestinal cancer. There is a trend in reducing the risk of developing leukemia. As for purely female oncology (cancer of the mammary glands and genital organs), everything is individual here, since slightly different hormones are to blame for these types of diseases.

Dosage

Aspirin is a fairly familiar medicine for everyone, which is always at hand. Therefore, everyone knows how to take aspirin if the temperature rises, a cold chill appears, or a headache appears. But as for oncological diseases, only the attending physician should prescribe the drug, and he also selects the dosage of the anticancer drug.

An instant effect of a couple of aspirin tablets cannot be achieved (as is usually the case with a cold) - long-term complex therapy is needed here. By itself, acetylsalicylic acid is powerless against cancer, but it will enhance the action of immunomodulators and make chemotherapy more effective.

In the experiments, where cancer patients participated, the dose of the drug was different - from 75 to 325 mg of aspirin daily for several years. Here, the individual characteristics of a person, the degree of his illness, as well as the location of the tumor were taken into account. But the fact that the development of the oncological process has slowed down is already a proven fact.

How to take aspirin to prevent cancer

If aspirin is able to slow down the growth of "extra" cells, then it can also prevent the process from starting. But this requires prophylactic administration of acetylsalicylic acid throughout life.

To start taking the medicine regularly, you need to consult a doctor, because aspirin also has contraindications. In addition to the harm described above, the medicine can also provoke the development of stomach ulcers. After all, aspirin is, after all, an acid that slowly corrodes the mucous membrane.

In addition, taking aspirin to prevent cancer, even in small doses, but for several years, you can change the composition of the blood due to the complete inactivity of platelets. As a result, too thin blood will stop clotting, and the person may die from blood loss.

To reduce the negative effect of acetylsalicylic acid, you need to drink the medicine correctly:

the tablet is first crushed into powder;
wash down the medicine with either non-carbonated mineral water or milk;
this should not be done with tea or coffee, as acetyl will enhance the stimulating effect of drinks.

The best option would be to use not the usual tablet, but soluble in water (aspirin-oops). It has a more gentle effect on the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. But you should not immediately drink the dissolved medicine - let it stand for 2 minutes.

Another point to consider is the composition of aspirin. When it comes to research in the field of oncology, they talk about a foreign-made drug. There, the formula of the medicine is somewhat different from the domestic one. It is with her that cancer prevention is more effective.

The Russian usual acetylsalicylic acid is good only as an emergency aid for colds. Therefore, it is better not to use it to fight tumors. Even for blood thinning, slightly different drugs are recommended, where aspirin is supplemented with other components (for example, asparkam with calcium and magnesium).

Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by 20%. Such conclusions were made by scientists from London's Guy's Hospital, who analyzed data from 21 studies involving 37,000 women, according to the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

"We concluded that NSAIDs may protect against the development of breast cancer, as well as serve as a useful adjunct to conventional treatment for women who have already developed the disease," said study leader Professor Ian Fentiman.

An earlier large-scale study by the American Cancer Society found that long-term daily aspirin use reduced the risk of developing cancer by about 15% in both men and women. However, do not rush to swallow pills - aspirin can cause serious side effects, and the anti-cancer properties of this drug have not yet been studied enough to be used in oncology, doctors say.

What is the importance of this discovery: in the US alone, more than 1 million people a year get cancer. Modern treatments can help prolong and improve the lives of many cancer patients. However, the researchers' main goal is to find a way to protect people from getting cancer. Aspirin is inexpensive and widely available. Its use against cancer could greatly reduce the number of cases of the disease. Daily aspirin is usually recommended for patients with cardiovascular disease. Regarding the effectiveness of this drug in oncology, the opinions of scientists differ. Animal studies have shown that aspirin helps prevent the development of cancers such as colorectal, breast, prostate, lung, bladder, and skin cancers.

However, things are not so simple with people - until now there was no consensus about the anti-cancer properties of aspirin. Nearly 70,000 men and over 76,000 women participated in this massive American Cancer Society study. Between 1992 and 2003, all of them periodically answered questions about, among other things, the use of aspirin. APO epidemiologists have focused on long-term daily high doses (325 mg or more) of aspirin. The results of the study were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study found that the overall incidence of cancer was 15% lower among people who took adult doses of aspirin daily for at least 5 years. In a more detailed study, it turned out that long-term use of aspirin reduces the risk of colorectal cancer by 30%, prostate cancer by 20%, and breast cancer by 15% in women, but does not significantly affect other forms of cancer (lung, bladder, pancreas, kidney, melanoma, leukemia, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma).

The American Cancer Society is reluctant to recommend aspirin against cancer due to possible side effects, including internal bleeding in the stomach. The risk of side effects increases with increasing dose. Eric Jacobs, leader of the team behind the study, said aspirin should be used for the time being against cardiovascular disease, but intends to continue to study the preventive effect of aspirin against cancer.

According to scientists, more research is needed to determine the optimal drug for this purpose, its dosage and duration of administration. In addition, in each case, it is necessary to take into account the negative effect of anti-inflammatory drugs on the stomach, and make a decision only after assessing the benefits and risks of their long-term use.

Aspirin is traditionally used as an antipyretic and analgesic for various diseases, as well as for the prevention of cardiovascular complications. In addition, taking aspirin may reduce the risk of colon cancer, earlier studies have shown.

Professor Dingir PAK: "There are enough drugs in oncology even without aspirin..."

Pak Dingir Dmitrievich. Head of the Department of General Oncology (tumors of the breast and skin) of the Moscow Research Institute of Oncology. P.A. Herzen Roszdrav. Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor. Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation.

Despite the fact that the message about this "discovery" looks like a scientific development, I would not take it too seriously. The fact is that the mechanism of occurrence and development of breast cancer has been studied in sufficient detail, and considering acetylsalicylic acid as one of the means of its prevention or, moreover, treatment is at least nonsense.

In fact, given the great social significance of the problem of oncological diseases, there will always be developments in this area, the authors of which will try to present them as a scientific breakthrough in cancer treatment. At one time, homeopaths tried to make such a "contribution", then all sorts of "author's" methods of treatment using mercury preparations, etc. appeared. The result, as a rule, was the same: patients brought their disease to such a stage when medical care was already useless.

Therefore, in relation to this message, I would be most concerned about just such a reaction from a public that is not very enlightened in medical terms: aspirin, of course, is a good drug - but it is clearly not worth relying on it as a means of combating breast cancer.

Rather, the effect of taking it may be associated with a decrease in the risk of vascular thrombosis and with a general anti-inflammatory effect. In many cases, breast cancer spreads through the milk ducts, which is accompanied by hyperemia and swelling of the tissues. These symptoms just can be alleviated by acetylsalicylic acid - but not the course of cancer as such.

In addition, we should not forget that more than 200 drugs are currently used in oncology and, as a rule, at least 3-4 of them are used in the treatment regimen for one patient. So it is unlikely that aspirin will be able to say a new word in this area ...

On the other hand, a well-known case that took place in Japan comes to mind. There, at one time, they created an entire International Scientific Center, whose task was to consider ANY ideas that came from both scientists and ordinary citizens. So, once a certain Dutchman turned there, outlining a number of theories of a futuristic nature - they concerned the prospects for the development of human society, social relations, etc. Moreover, this man was an official schizophrenic. But his proposals were accepted anyway, studied - and, although they were recognized as untenable in themselves, it was in the process of their discussion that several socially significant projects were born, which were subsequently realized ...

So who knows - perhaps in the distant future, the well-known acetylsalicylic acid will be able to present some surprises ...

"Aspirin may be effective in reducing the risk of colon and rectal cancer, and possibly other types of cancer. However, the high risk of adverse effects, including severe gastrointestinal bleeding, compels a better study of the mechanisms of action this drug before recommending it for prevention," says Cornelia Ulrich, Ph.D., senior director of population sciences at the Salt Lake City Cancer Institute. "Going forward, we want to introduce aspirin prophylaxis, because it can still leave adverse effects. It can be used in patients with a low risk of side effects."

In particular, the researchers found that under the influence of aspirin, the level of 2-hydroxyglutarate in the blood of healthy volunteers and in two cultures of cancer cells was significantly reduced. This chemical is thought to play a role in cancer development (known as an oncometabolite) because it has been found to be elevated in some blood and brain cancers, and several groups are currently studying it as a molecule that promotes tumor formation.

Ulrich also claims that the study added to the general evidence that aspirin is important for cancer prevention. Along with this, there is a need for a new direction in the study of aspirin.

“It became clear that aspirin, which may be involved in cancer prevention, is now associated with a new direction that has shown the possibility of reducing the incidence of oncology.

"In the first part of the study, a comprehensive examination of the metabolic blood profile of 40 people who took aspirin for 60 days was carried out. The studies were under strict control, each of the participants had a phase with and without aspirin. More than 360 metabolites, or small chemical molecules, were analyzed such as sugars, amino acids and vitamins," Ulrich said. "This study covered most of the known metabolic pathways in the human body."

The researchers found that in the volunteers, aspirin metabolism increased as expected (p<0,001). Кроме того, они также обнаружили статистически значимое изменение уровня метаболита 2-гидроксиглютарата. Он был снижен на 12% (р=0,005).

To confirm this result, the scientists studied the level of 2-hydroxyglutarate in a culture of cancer cells after aspirin treatment in a laboratory setting. In a colorectal cell line, a decrease in the level of 2-hydroxyglutarate up to 34% was found. In addition, they found that the main metabolite of aspirin, called salicylate, inhibits the enzyme hydroxyacidoxoacid transhydrogenase, which triggers the synthesis of 2-hydroxyglutarate. Thus, it can be assumed that aspirin acts through a previously unknown metabolic pathway at a concentration comparable to the therapeutic one.

Previous research has suggested that aspirin's anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effects may be at the heart of the effects, but Ulrich said there is evidence pointing to other pathways, especially with low doses of aspirin.

"This study suggests that aspirin plays a major role in the mechanisms that are associated with the development of cancer. Both clinical and laboratory studies have shown that lowering 2-hydroxyglutarate levels can identify a new method of cancer prevention," she added. .

"More research is also needed to determine whether the change in 2-hydroxyglutarate levels observed in plasma and cancer cell culture is present in colon tissues."