Aspirin has many benefits. It has been used as prevention against heart attack and stroke. Aspirin thins the blood, which can prevent clots from forming. Aspirin is also said to prevent cancer. Aspirin study shows how it affects cancer.
Researchers are still looking at how aspirin actually works to fight cancer. Researchers believe it has to do with aspirin preventing platelets forming into clots. This in turn might deny tumors any nutrient needed for its growth.
Veterans Affair (VA) scientists are testing this theory on lab mice and platelet culture. The study is done to see what effects aspirin has on platelets. Platelets are important not just in forming clots, but also in forming new blood vessels.
New blood vessels help tumors grow, as tumors need nutrients. Tumors take nutrients by having blood vessels of its own. Scientists are now looking at aspirin as it could possibly prevent blood vessels from forming in tumors.
In the lab tests done by researchers, aspirin shuts down the COX-1 enzyme. This enzyme is important in producing new platelets. The researchers are using both regular aspirin as well as a special type of aspirin, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The special aspirin has phosphatidylcholine, which is a type of fat molecule.
The special aspirin is said to be much stronger against cancer tumors than regular aspirin. The special aspirin has been made in order to have it much easier against gastrointestinal risk, which is a side effect of aspirin. Dr. Lenard Lichtenberger has led the research and is a professor of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center, as Science Daily reports.
The research group plans to test the special aspirin on people with colorectal cancer next. So far studies have shown that low dose aspirin can be effective against cancer. The group would then want to find out if the special aspirin could be more effective against cancer on people. The aspirin study shows how it affects cancer. A new study has found more links of air pollution with diabetes.
