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Scientists crack how aspirin might stop cancers from spreading
- sharpshadow 2y agoI don’t understand why they are still referring to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as Aspirin. Aspirin today can be a mixture of ingredients but what the described effects are about is ASA.
- juujian 2y agoIf I was a copy editor and read the draft title "Scientists crack how acetylsalicylic acid might stop cancers from spreading" I would stop the author right there.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- sevensor 2y agoNews to me, what else do they put in it?
- hnuser123456 2y agoSome people are just learning pills are not a single solid block of pure active ingredient.
- sevensor 2y agoYes, that’s me. What else is in aspirin?
- hnuser123456 2y agoStuff that allows it to form a solid block instead of powder. Stuff to time how long it takes to dissolve (how else can there be fast-acting and slow-acting versions?) Stuff to make the pills large enough to see with your eyes. A grain of sand is about 20 milligrams. Low-dose aspirin is 80 milligrams, but the pill is a much more convenient size than 4 grains of sand. (or 8 grains of sand, since sand is about twice as dense as pure ASA)
- c420 2y agoA 20mg grain of sand is either not a grain or not sand
- chiph 2y agoDoing the conversion - 20 milligrams is 0.308647 grains So you're correct. (had to use Google - I only know that there are 7000 grains to the pound)
- hnuser123456 2y agoI am GP and did more research and need to post a correction but it's too late to edit my former comment. The grain, in terms of weight, is 64.8 milligrams, or much more than a even a course grain of sand, which it turns out, is somewhere around 1 milligram, ranging from 0.04 mg for fine sand to 4 mg for very course sand, average around 0.3.
- jjtheblunt 2y agoExcedrin brand in the US has tablets with caffeine and aspirin, for example, but people might just call them aspirin (my grandmother, for example).
- pogue 2y agoA mixture of ingredients? If you mean a standard aspirin tablet, it will have fillers and binders in it to keep the tablet together and help it break down in the GI tract and etc, but in essence anything labeled aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspirin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspirin
- Angostura 2y agoFrom the first line of Wikipedia: "Aspirin is the genericized trademark for acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)" That's why
- the__alchemist 2y agoASA is an unfortunate acronym here: You might consider the Accessible Surface Area of immune-system proteins, in accessing interaction with the aspirin molecule!
- mharig 2y ago[dead]
- ziddoap 2y agoIf the title said "acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)", I would not have known what they were talking about. But I do know what Aspirin is.
- Aloisius 2y agoThe actual paper used aspirin: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08626-7 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08626-7
- bell-cot 2y ago> The team at the University of Cambridge said it was an exciting and surprise discovery that could eventually lead to cancer patients being prescribed the drug - but not yet and people are advised against just taking the pills themselves. While the Ethics Panel and solicitors may have ordered the researchers to say that, I'm thinking that anyone with serious cancer should (1) start taking aspirin, (2) read a bit about aspirin side-effects and contra-indications, then (3) let their doctor know that they did (1) and (2).
- leereeves 2y agoThere are risks to taking aspirin everyday, including an increased risk of hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke, so it's important to weigh the pros and cons. That is difficult before sufficient research has been done to identify who benefits and how much, but it's certainly something to consider.
- AnimalMuppet 2y agoOK, but... I am not a doctor. I don't even play one on TV. But if I understand correctly, there are two types of strokes: hemorrhagic strokes (strokes caused by bleeding in the brain) and... I don't know the technical term, but clot-based strokes (a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain). And if I understand correctly, clot-based strokes are something like 80% of strokes - they're four times as likely as hemorrhagic strokes. So isn't aspirin a net win anyway? You may increase your odds of a hemorrhagic stroke, but decrease your odds of the other kind of stroke, and the other kind is more common. (Unless you have some reason to think that you are more susceptible to hemorrhagic strokes than the other kind.) Corrections welcome, especially ones with data. Note well: This is not medical advice. Consult a doctor, not randos on the internet.
- leereeves 2y agoI'm not a doctor either, just a postgrad pre-med student with a heart problem (so I read a lot about the heart). I know just enough to be dangerous, but I do know you're right about the two types of stroke and the benefit of aspirin in preventing ischemic strokes (clots). And until recently, daily aspirin was recommended for that, even for people with no history of heart disease. But AIUI, now the American Heart Association (2019) [1], U.S. Preventive Service Task Force (2022) [2], and the European Society of Cardiology (2019) [3] all say that for people with no history of cardiovascular disease, daily aspirin has little to no net benefit in younger patients and increases mortality in older patients. Of course, the possibility of preventing metastasis adds another benefit, and may tip the balance back in favor of aspirin therapy. 1: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000678 https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000678 2: https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2022/04/27/20/41/new-uspstf-recommendation-on-aspirin-in-cvd https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2022/04/27... 3: https://www.escardio.org/static-file/Escardio/Guidelines/Publications/ANGINA/Q&A%20CCS%20Guidelines_23-10-19%20for%20web.pdf https://www.escardio.org/static-file/Escardio/Guidelines/Pub...
- Modified3019 2y ago>Part of our immune defences - a white blood cell called a T-cell - can swoop in and destroy the spreading cancer as it tries to take root. >But the study showed that another part of our blood - the platelets that normally stop bleeding - were suppressing the T-cells and making it harder for them to take out the cancer. >Aspirin disrupts the platelets and removes their influence over the T-cells so they can hunt out the cancer.
- seanw444 2y agoHelpful summary, thanks.
- ericmcer 2y agoNice summary, this seems like another adaptation that was super useful 10,000 years ago and is less so today. It would be nice if our bodies could adapt to modernity quicker, like don't prioritize blood clotting over immune defenses, I can just get some more band-aids on the off chance I cut myself in our very safe world. Don't preserve calories in case we are starving in the future, just build muscles and heal injuries recklessly I can hit up the grocery store if we need more nutrients.
- Earw0rm 2y agoSomething I've been wondering is to what extent we're gut-efficiency-limited rather than calorie-limited. There's plenty of research showing that brain development and food preparation went hand in hand (cooking allows humans to liberate more calories from food with the same sized gut, allowing us both to be pretty mobile and have more energy available to run our large and energy-hungry brains). If you look at the way guts are built, clearly nature/evolution is trying to pack as much intestine as possible into a limited space. Certainly increasing calorie availability beyond a certain point isn't a good thing - our brains can't burn more than a certain amount, and most of us, Michael Phelps excepted, don't like making our bodies do the same - but I wonder to what extent our design-constraints put limits on our ability to absorb non-calorie nutrients. On the one hand you have a supplement industry who will say anything to make a buck, and are infected with pseudoscience and woo, but on the other, the standard med-sci advice of "just eat a balance diet, it's impossible to improve on that" seems kind of glib and baseless.
- cytocync 2y ago[dead]
- NewUser76312 2y agoThere's a niche online health community which follows the work of a late Dr. Ray Peat, who have been touting the benefits of aspirin for a long time: https://raypeat.com/articles/aging/aspirin-brain-cancer.shtml https://raypeat.com/articles/aging/aspirin-brain-cancer.shtm... Some of Dr. Peat's disciples have even begun their own independent cancer research (in mice) trying to prove efficacy of far more basic interventions: https://x.com/haidut/status/1751716166387597730 https://x.com/haidut/status/1751716166387597730 I've been an observer of this sphere since ~2017, have implemented various Peat-related concepts towards my own health and fitness, to overall positive results. What's interesting is seeing more and more of these theories - under the theme of 'bioenergetics' - starting to be proven out even in conventional research.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- ufo 2y agoRay Peat is as quacky as health quacks can get. Completely nuts.
- runjake 2y agoCan you provide some examples that back up your statement? Edit: Some people are getting angry (and in some cases, deleting their comments). Let me be clearer: I have no idea who Ray Peat is. The OP commented that Peat is a "quack" and I was just asking why, because they didn't provide any supporting documentation. Oddly enough, I just now discovered that I used to live down the street from Peat, before he passed away. I don't recall ever meeting him, though.
- dfxm12 2y agoMany appear to be public information. Here are some listed on his RationalWiki entry: Avocados Peat claimed that avocados are carcinogenic because they contain a lot of unsaturated fat.[8] Like all the other nonsense he spouted, he failed to back up this ridiculous claim with any scientific evidence. Orange juice Peat was a big fan of orange juice which he said is "anti-estrogenic".[41] He also claimed that orange juice is good because it raises people's cholesterol.[42] There is not any evidence in the medical literature that shows orange juice consumption raises cholesterol. Studies have found the opposite, as it lows LDL-c and total cholesterol.[43][44] A 2022 review of clinical trials found that orange juice significantly reduces circulating total cholesterol levels.[45] Everything Peat said about foods should be fact-checked because in most cases he was entirely wrong in what he had claimed. https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Ray_Peat https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Ray_Peat
- luizfzs 2y agoI hate these types of headlines that omit an important part of the context: The study was conducted in mice. We're not mice. The results are encouraging but in no way conclusive for humans. They open for the opportunity for broader studies, studies in humans. That's all they do.
- aucisson_masque 2y agoThe thing is we already know that it works on human. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22440947/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22440947/ The question was how it works and as far as I know you can't legally yet use genetically engineered humans to suppress a gene, induce cancer and test a theory. How would you test this theory on human (safely) ?
- surgical_fire 2y agoHow are treatments tested on humans safely? Select some cancer patients and ask their consent to some novel treatment with Aspirin?
- aucisson_masque 2y agoYou missed my point, how would you safely analyze aspirin mechanism over t-cell in humans, without relying on genetically engineered humans with suppressed genes ? If the scientist went to use genetically modified mice, I assume it's because there is no easier, non invasive test, to analyze the influence of platelets over the T-cell behavior. Like using a microscope or chemicals. I'm not talking about signing a form but the technical aspect. However if you know how, please share, it would be interesting.
- surgical_fire 2y agoIt was an honest misunderstanding. I am completely ignorant on this subject, honestly trying to understand something. Like, why would the humans need to have a specific generic configuration? Only with some specific genes the T-Cells are affected by platelets? This is not something that happens on every human?
- nikolay 2y agoEnteric-coated aspirin is safer, but it does nothing. It is best to take plain aspirin with vitamin C and/or DGL - studies show both protect the lining of the stomach from ulcers. That's why Aspirin C in Europe is the best combo! Haidut, one of the most prominent Ray Peat's followers and translators, if I could characterize him like this, told me that he just combines aspirin with collagen, and it does the same thing.
- cwillu 2y agoWhat are you yammering about?
- nikolay 2y agoIf you struggle with your own natural intelligence, reach out to some artificial one in a desperate attempt at comprehending basic English statements.
- cwillu 2y agoAs instructed, I asked chatgpt to characterize your comment: “““ [...] Irrelevant to Cancer Discussion – In the context of the BBC article about aspirin preventing cancer spread, this comment is only tangentially related. It does not engage with the article’s findings about aspirin's effect on cancer cells and instead focuses on aspirin's formulation and stomach safety, which is a separate discussion. The comment seems to use the article as a springboard for discussing a niche health opinion rather than engaging with the core scientific findings presented. Overall Characterization: The comment is opinionated, alternative-health-oriented, and off-topic regarding the article's cancer discussion. It reflects a niche perspective influenced by Ray Peat’s followers, prioritizing aspirin’s stomach safety over its potential anti-cancer benefits. While it might offer practical advice for those concerned about aspirin’s side effects, it does not directly contribute to the scientific discussion in the BBC article. ”””
- gnabgib 2y agoPaper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08626-7 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08626-7 (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43270665 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43270665)
- sema4hacker 2y agoI had a heart bypass 29 years ago and my daily meds since then included a baby aspirin, but a year or so ago the occasional rectal bleeding got really bad. Stopped the aspirin and the bleeding went away.
- readthenotes1 2y agohttps://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/daily-aspirin-therapy/art-20046797 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease... Is bleeding bad from the butt a life worth living? Wondering what prep h suppositories would have done for you...
- chachacharge 2y agoRectum!? Damn near killed em..
- achillesheels 2y agoSo is here any positive correlation with cancer survivor rates with those with low to extremely low platelets? Excluding blood cancers of course .
- dashmeet 2y agoThis is actually a VERY good question that should be further investigated. I hope the researchers are already looking into this, but adding it my list of things to bug medical professionals about just in case
- m0llusk 2y agoOddly critical that this research is going on in London. If this were in the US then current efforts to shut down the National Institute of Health would have everything about present and future in a muddle.
- TacticalCoder 2y ago[dead]
- veunes 2y agoWhat works in mice doesn't always translate to humans, and aspirin's risks (like internal bleeding) mean it's not a simple "just take it" solution... Yet still it could be a game-changer for early-stage cancer treatment