(Fox News) – Taking one or two baby aspirins a day for at least five years was tied to a lower risk of colorectal cancer in a study from Denmark.
Earlier studies had suggested that aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen may help protect against colorectal cancer, but it wasn’t clear how much had to be taken, and for how long, to achieve those benefits.
Now, using data on more than 113,000 individuals, researchers have been trying to sort out the relationship between aspirin and NSAIDs, duration of treatment, and colorectal cancer rates.
In general, the risk of developing colorectal cancer varies with age, race, ethnicity and lifestyle. More than 90 percent of cases are diagnosed in people older than 50, according to the National Cancer Institute.