While earlier research in middle-aged people had claimed that aspirin might help prevent some cancers, this new study did not find this in people who started taking aspirin later in life. In fact, the study found that older adults taking daily aspirin had a higher risk of dying from cancer.
The research followed more than 19,000 adults in Australia and the United States, most of whom were aged 70 or over. Participants were originally part of the ASPREE trial, in which they were randomly given either a daily 100 mg aspirin tablet or a placebo between 2010 and 2017. They were then observed for several more years, up to 2024, after stopping the drug. Over an average follow-up period of nearly nine years, researchers found no difference in how often cancer developed between the aspirin and placebo groups.
However, the study did find that people who had taken aspirin were about 15 percent more likely to die from cancer during the trial period. The researchers say this suggests aspirin does not provide lasting protection against cancer when started in older age. As a result, they do not recommend that older adults take low-dose aspirin specifically to prevent cancer and advise anyone worried about their cancer risk to seek personalized medical advice.
To learn more about the dangers of aspirin, see this article on our website.
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February 6, 2026Taking Daily Aspirin Does NOT Reduce Long-Term Cancer Risk for Older Adults
News
New research has found that for healthy older adults who took a low-dose of aspirin daily, there was no effect on overall cancer incidence but an increased risk of cancer-related mortality.
[Source: medicalxpress.com]
[Image source: Freepik]
Comment
While earlier research in middle-aged people had claimed that aspirin might help prevent some cancers, this new study did not find this in people who started taking aspirin later in life. In fact, the study found that older adults taking daily aspirin had a higher risk of dying from cancer.
The research followed more than 19,000 adults in Australia and the United States, most of whom were aged 70 or over. Participants were originally part of the ASPREE trial, in which they were randomly given either a daily 100 mg aspirin tablet or a placebo between 2010 and 2017. They were then observed for several more years, up to 2024, after stopping the drug. Over an average follow-up period of nearly nine years, researchers found no difference in how often cancer developed between the aspirin and placebo groups.
However, the study did find that people who had taken aspirin were about 15 percent more likely to die from cancer during the trial period. The researchers say this suggests aspirin does not provide lasting protection against cancer when started in older age. As a result, they do not recommend that older adults take low-dose aspirin specifically to prevent cancer and advise anyone worried about their cancer risk to seek personalized medical advice.
To learn more about the dangers of aspirin, see this article on our website.
Dr. Rath Health Foundation
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