Current guidelines support routine use of aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular events and colorectal cancer in many adults aged 50 to 59. There is controversy over whether aspirin is beneficial for older adults, especially those over age 70. This study looked at the impact of regular aspirin use in adults aged 70 and older.

Regular aspirin use has clear benefits in reducing colorectal cancer incidence among middle-aged adults, but also comes with some risk, such as gastrointestinal bleeding. And when should adults start taking regular aspirin and for how long?

There is substantial evidence that a daily aspirin can reduce risk of colorectal cancer in adults up to age 70. But until now there was little evidence about whether older adults should start taking aspirin.

A team of scientists set out to study this question. They were led by Andrew T. Chan MD, MPH, a gastroenterologist and chief of the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Their report appears in JAMA Oncology.

Release date: 21 January 2021
Source: Massachusetts General Hospital

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