Do you want to limit the risk of cancer of the intestines? Eat fish, nuts more often

LONDON: According to a new clinical trial, consumption of aspirin and omega-3 is safe and effective in reducing the risk of bowel cancer in high-risk patients.

In the trial, published in The Lancet, these inexpensive drugs reduced the number of precancerous polyps – a small, usually benign growth – in patients at high risk of bowel cancer.

The results showed that patients on aspirin had 22% fewer polyps than those on placebo.

Those taking omega-3s, also known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), had 9% fewer polyps than those taking the placebo.

Although aspirin and EPA have beneficial effects on polyp numbers individually, the combination of aspirin and EPA seems to have an even greater effect, as it provides another level of prevention, next to colonoscopy, the researchers said.

"The trial demonstrates that aspirin and EPA both have preventive effects, which is particularly exciting since they are both relatively inexpensive and safe compounds." for patients, "said Mark Hull, a professor at the University of Leeds in the UK.

In the trial, the team had more than 700 patients, all of whom had a higher risk of developing bowel cancer after colonoscopy.

Participants took either a 300 mg aspirin tablet, 2 grams of EPA in four capsules, a combination of aspirin and EPA, or a placebo only.

The results showed that aspirin and omega-3 reduced the number of intestinal polyps in patients one year after a colonoscopy screening (large intestine camera test).

However, they have not reduced the chances that a person has polyps present in the intestine.

It is important to note that treatment with aspirin and EPA was safe, with no increased risk of bleeding.

However, people who took EPA alone had a slight increase in symptoms of stomach upset.

The researchers noted that additional research was needed to jointly test aspirin treatment and treatment with EPA to prevent polyps.