In previous studies, researchers have clarified how taking aspirin can help prevent bowel cancer. This study found that analgesics block key processes related to tumor formation. As we all know, regular aspirin can reduce the risk of colon cancer, but the anti-tumor properties of this drug are not fully understood.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh are concerned with a structure called nucleolus found in cells. The activation of nucleoli causes tumor formation, and dysfunction is also associated with Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. A team from the University of Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre in the United Kingdom tested the effect of aspirin on laboratory-grown cells and tumor biopsies in patients with colon cancer.
They found that aspirin can block a key molecule called TIF-IA, which is a key molecule for nucleolus function.
Not all colon cancer patients respond to aspirin, but the researchers say their findings may help determine which ones are most likely to benefit.
Aspirin has side effects, including internal bleeding, which can cause certain types of stroke and is not recommended for long-term use. The researchers say the study paves the way for the development of new, safer therapies that mimic the effects of aspirin. The research was published in the journal Nucleic Acid Research and was funded by the Medical Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Worldwide cancer research, intestinal and cancer research, and the Rose Tree Trust also support this work.
Researchers at the Cancer Research Centre in Edinburgh, UK, said: “We are very excited about these findings because they proposed a mechanism for aspirin to prevent multiple diseases. By better understanding how aspirin prevents TIF-IA and nucleolar activity, Provides great hope for the development of new therapies and the development of targeted therapies.”
