Aspirin can prevent cancer from spreading to the body, suggests study

A new research, published on Wednesday (5) in the renowned scientific journal Nature, showed that aspirin can help prevent the spread of cancer by the body. The study, led by researchers at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, unveiled the mechanism behind the drug performance in preventing metastasis – a process where carcinogenic cells spread to other places other than the original tumor.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), metastasis can affect 70 to 80% of patients at the time of cancer diagnosis and corresponds to 90% of the causes of death registered globally. Therefore, control of metastases still represents one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment.

“Even in early -stage patients where healing therapies, such as surgery, are established, there is still a risk that they develop metastasis along their journey. Therefore, metastasis is, in fact, a big bottleneck and one of the main challenges faced by patients with cancer diagnosis, ”says Tatiane Montella, oncologist at OnCoclínicas & Co. She was not involved in the study.

How was the study done?

The researchers previously examined 810 genes in mice and found 15 who had an effect on cancer metastasis. In particular, they found that mice without a gene that produces a protein called Arhgef1 had less metastasis from various primary cancers for the lungs and liver.

The researchers determined that Arhgef1 suppresses an immune cell type called T cell, which can recognize and kill metastatic cancer cells. Scientists have tracked signs in the cell to determine that ARHGEF1 is activated when T cells are exposed to a coagulation factor called thromboxane A2 (TXA2).

According to the research, aspirin inhibits production TXA2. By reducing the production of this factor, aspirin releases T cells to attack cancer cells that detach from the original tumor and try to colonize other organs.

“This was a study in the laboratory with animals, with rats, which was evaluated what would be exactly the mechanism of action of aspirin in this promotion, in this prevention of metastases. What we know is that the immune system is very related to oncogenesis, that is, this inadequate cell proliferation. The immune system has a natural role in inhibiting these cells evolve, ”says the oncologist.

“With Aspirin, what the study’s authors proved was that this inhibition that aspirin makes and a certain protein, which is the COX-2, allows the T cell, which is our defense cell, the immune system cell, becomes more active to combat possible metastases,” he adds.

This is not the first time aspirin has been associated with benefits for cancer patients. According to Montella, there are previous studies, including clinical trials done in humans, who evaluated the role of drugs in patients diagnosed with neoplasms who had already shown positive results in metastases preventing patients with some cancers, such as breast, intestinal and prostate cancer. However, so far it was not known exactly how this happened.

Next Steps

Despite the discovery, there are still important questions to be answered in close studies. According to Montella, it is necessary to understand, for example, for what types of tumor aspirin could be used as treatment, in which dosage and which patients would actually benefit from this type of approach.

Cambridge University researchers, responsible for the study, now collaborate with the Add-Aspirin clinical trial, led by Professor Ruth Langley, to determine how to apply these findings in clinical practice and identify which cancer patients are most likely to benefit from aspirin treatment.

Specialist warns about the risks of self -medication

Precisely because some gaps are missing to be filled, aspirin should not yet be used as cancer treatment. The oncologist even warns about the risks of self -medication with the drug.

“It is important to remember that, on the one hand, aspirin, an easily accessible and low cost drug, can bring benefits. On the other hand, it is a medication that requires medical recommendation as it is associated with side effects. One of the most common effects is bleeding, especially in the gastrointestinal tract, which may vary in gravity and may even be fatal. Therefore, it is very important to know that, even with the promising results from this study, it is crucial to highlight that aspirin should be used in any situation with medical recommendation, ”summarizes Montella.

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This content was originally published in aspirin can prevent cancer from spreading to the body, suggests a study on CNN Brazil.

Source: CNN Brasil

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