Baby aspirin lowers colon cancer risk

SAN FRANCISCO -- A daily baby aspirin modestly reduces the risk of colon cancer by preventing the growth of ominous polyps, according to a major study.

Based on a variety of indirect evidence, scientists have long speculated that aspirin protects against this kind of cancer. But the new study is the first to put the idea to a rigorous test.

The experiment was intended to see if aspirin prevents a recurrence of polyps after the growths have been removed during routine colonoscopies. It found the 80-milligram baby asprin size taken daily reduces this risk by 19 percent.

The dose is the same one already taken by millions of Americans to prevent heart attacks. The new work suggests they may be getting an additional benefit.

The study was directed by Dartmouth Medical School. The research was done on 1,121 otherwise healthy men and women in nine cities who had polyps removed during routine screening. They were randomly given aspirin or dummy pills.