Low-Dose and High-Dose Aspirin Are Equally Effective for Colon Cancer Prevention

At daily doses of ≥500 mg, aspirin lowers colorectal cancer incidence and cancer-related mortality but elicits excess risk for gastrointestinal bleeding. Low-dose aspirin is associated with less bleeding risk, but can it achieve the same benefit?

Using national registries, researchers analyzed long-term follow-up data on cancer incidence and mortality among more than 14,000 patients who had participated in four randomized placebo-controlled studies of high- and low-dose aspirin for primary and secondary prevention of vascular disease. Mean duration of scheduled treatment with aspirin or placebo was 6 years, and total follow-up ranged from 17 to 27 years.

All aspirin doses ≥75 mg daily had similar effects on colorectal cancer incidence and mor…