Health: Aspirin May Treat Cancer Tumours

Society | August 15, 2003, Friday // 00:00

The common painkiller aspirin could be used to treat certain types of cancer, according to scientists. They believe it can fight a rare form of skin cancer and some breast cancers. The scientists say the drug can help to reduce inflammation in the body, which causes some of these cancers.

The study, adds to growing evidence that the humble painkiller can be used to fight a wide range of diseases.

Previous studies have suggested aspirin, which is more than 100 years old, could help to treat conditions like heart disease and strokes.
In this latest study, scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research in London examined a rare form of cancer called turban tumour syndrome or cylindromatosis.

This type of cancer causes huge mushroom shaped tumours to grow out of the scalp and other hairy parts of the body. While the tumours are benign, they can cause horrendous disfigurement and discomfort and may eventually turn into life-threatening cancers.

The syndrome is genetic. People with a damaged version of a gene called CYLD are most at risk of developing it.

Professor Alan Ashworth and colleagues at the institute found that a fault in this gene means the body does not respond normally to diseases or tissue damage. In particular, the body is unable to reduce inflammation that may occur as a result of disease or tissue damage. In fact, the body tends to over-react, which can lead to the large, swollen tumours characteristic of turban tumour syndrome.

This occurs because the body is unable to keep a key molecule, called NF-kappaB, in check. This molecule becomes overactive in a number of different types of cancer, including some breast cancers.

There is evidence to suggest too much of it can fuel the growth of cancer cells and keep them alive much longer than they should.

The scientists believe anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin could offer a solution to this problem, by countering the effects of this molecule.

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