Aspirin for cancer, anyone? Yes, Oxford University researchers in the UK say that taking aspirin each day can prevent bowel cancer developing. Taking a dose of 300mg a day for five years offered the protection.

Long-term aspirin use is generally not backed because of the risk of stomach problems, but the team said it could benefit those at high-risk of cancer.

Cancer campaigners welcomed the study - published in the Lancet - which examined data from previous research covering more than 7,500 people.

Each year, around 35,000 men and women in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer, and more than 16,000 die from the disease.

The researchers looked at the results from two large-scale UK trials carried out in the late 1970s and early 1980s covering over 7,500 people which had given some people 300, 500 or 1,200mg per day doses of aspirin or a dummy pill for five to seven years.

The people in the study were then followed for up to 20 years, and deaths from bowel cancer were logged.

The team say it takes at least 10 years to see an effect, because that is how long it takes for a pre-cancerous growths to develop into cancer.

The researchers found that taking 300mg of aspirin - the equivalent of one pill - a day for five years reduced the incidence of bowel cancer by 74% in the subsequent 10 to 15 years.

Aspirin can Prevent Bowel Cancer, Says UK Study

Aspirin for cancer, anyone? Yes, Oxford University researchers in the UK say that taking aspirin each day can prevent bowel cancer developing. Taking a dose of 300mg a day for five years offered the protection.

Long-term aspirin use is generally not backed because of the risk of stomach problems, but the team said it could benefit those at high-risk of cancer.

Cancer campaigners welcomed the study - published in the Lancet - which examined data from previous research covering more than 7,500 people.

Each year, around 35,000 men and women in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer, and more than 16,000 die from the disease.

The researchers looked at the results from two large-scale UK trials carried out in the late 1970s and early 1980s covering over 7,500 people which had given some people 300, 500 or 1,200mg per day doses of aspirin or a dummy pill for five to seven years.

The people in the study were then followed for up to 20 years, and deaths from bowel cancer were logged.

The team say it takes at least 10 years to see an effect, because that is how long it takes for a pre-cancerous growths to develop into cancer.

The researchers found that taking 300mg of aspirin - the equivalent of one pill - a day for five years reduced the incidence of bowel cancer by 74% in the subsequent 10 to 15 years.