Can aspirin stop cancer from spreading?

Aspirin, one of the world’s most common over-the-counter painkillers, may have a powerful new role beyond relieving headaches and reducing fevers. Scientists have discovered that this inexpensive drug could help fight cancer.

While earlier studies hinted at a link between aspirin use and improved cancer survival rates, a recent study published in Nature journal sheds light on the possible reasons behind this connection. However, experts warn that aspirin is not a cure, and its use comes with potential risks—particularly an increased chance of internal bleeding.

So how does aspirin help prevent cancer from spreading? And could it become a viable treatment in the future? Here’s what you need to know.

How does aspirin keep cancer at bay?

Over a decade ago, researchers noticed an intriguing pattern—people who took daily aspirin seemed more likely to survive if they were diagnosed with cancer. However, they couldn’t determine why.

Now, this new study from the University of Cambridge explains the potential mechanism behind aspirin’s effects. It suggests the drug may help prevent cancer from spreading, a process known as metastasis.

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It occurs when a single cancer cell breaks away from the original tumour and moves through the body, attempting to establish new tumours elsewhere. This process is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths.

The immune system plays a crucial role in stopping this spread. White blood cells known as T-cells can identify and destroy roaming cancer cells before they take hold.

However, the study found that platelets—tiny blood cells that usually help stop bleeding—can interfere with this process.

Cancer manipulates platelets by triggering a response similar to an injury. When platelets encounter free-floating cancer cells, they rush to coat them, just as they would form a clot to seal a wound. This protective shield makes it harder for the immune system to detect and attack cancer cells. Additionally, platelets release signals that weaken T-cells, preventing them from doing their job effectively.

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This is where aspirin steps in.

The drug disrupts the platelets’ activity, stripping them of their ability to shield cancer cells. This allows T-cells to regain their strength and destroy the cancer cells before they can establish new tumours.

Prof Rahul Roychoudhuri from the University of Cambridge explained to the BBC, “What we’ve discovered is that aspirin might work, surprisingly, by unleashing the power of the immune system to recognise and kill metastasising cancer cells.”

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How can aspirin be used in treating cancer?

The study suggests that aspirin could be particularly useful after treatments like surgery, where tumours are removed.

Even after successful surgery, some cancer cells may have already escaped from the original tumour and begun to settle in other parts of the body. This process, known as seeding, allows tiny cancer cells to embed themselves in new areas, where they may later grow into tumours.

Dr Jie Yang, from the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge, who led the research, described the discovery as a turning point.

“It was a Eureka moment,” he said.

“It was an entirely unexpected finding which sent us down quite a different path of inquiry than we had anticipated. Before this, we had not been aware of the implication of our findings in understanding the anti-metastatic activity of aspirin,” he said.

Beyond its potential effectiveness, aspirin could also offer a more affordable option for cancer treatment.

“Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies, and therefore more accessible globally,” Yang added.

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Beware of the potential risks

For those wondering if they should start taking aspirin as a preventive measure against cancer, experts advise caution.

“If you are a cancer patient, don’t rush to your local pharmacy to buy aspirin just yet, but actively consider participation in ongoing or upcoming trials of aspirin,” Professor Mangesh Thorat, a surgeon and cancer researcher at Queen Mary University of London, told BBC.

While the study has provided “the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle” in understanding how aspirin works, Thorat noted that several questions remain unanswered.

If taken unsupervised, the drug can lead to dangerous internal bleeding, including strokes, making it crucial to balance the risks and benefits. Additionally, researchers are still unsure whether aspirin’s anti-cancer effects apply to all cancers or just certain types.

It’s also important to remember that the study was conducted on mice, not humans. Until clinical trials confirm its effectiveness in people, aspirin cannot be recommended as a cancer treatment.

“Our research provides a molecular explanation for observations from clinical studies, but proper clinical validation is still needed,” Roychoudhuri told Al Jazeera.

To address these uncertainties, researchers are conducting further studies by recruiting over 10,000 patients with early-stage breast, colorectal, gastroesophageal, and prostate cancers across the UK and India to determine whether aspirin can prevent or delay cancer recurrence.

With input from agencies