What is the benefit of asprin in reducing colorectal cancer recurrence? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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People who’ve had colorectal cancer and who have a mutation known as  PI3 kinase benefit from taking asprin to prevent recurrence, a new study shows. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, describes the findings.

Nelson:  There were recurrences in each group that got aspirin. In about 7.7% but if you had the hotspot mutation the recurrences were 14.1% with placebo if you had the other ones and it was 16.8% so there's a significant benefit or reduction in the chance for colorectal cancer to come back if you took aspirin. There were some adverse events 16.8% on aspirin and 11.6% on placebo bleeding or bruising. It does look like the science behind it seems reasonable, aspirin did the trick.    :33

Nelson advocates for everyone with cancer to get a genetic analysis of their malignancy to determine the best treatments and long term prevention strategies. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.