Latest news with #RahulRoychoudhuri
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Common pain medication could reduce cancer spread, study finds
Taking a common over-the-counter pain reliever could help keep certain cancers from spreading. That's according to a new study from the University of Cambridge, which found that aspirin could reduce cancer metastatis (spread) by stimulating participants' immune systems. The findings were published in the journal Nature on March 5. Aspirin May Be Linked To Lower Risk Of Colorectal Cancer, New Study Suggests In mouse models, scientists discovered that a certain protein called ARHGEF1 suppresses T-cells, which are immune cells that can pinpoint and attack individual cancer cells that break away from original tumors, according to a press release. ARHGEF1 was "switched on" when T cells were exposed to thromboxane A2 (TXA2), a chemical produced by platelets that helps with blood clotting. Read On The Fox News App Too much of TXA2 can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. That's where aspirin comes in — it is already known to stop the production of TXA2 and prevent clotting, which is why it may be recommended to prevent cardiac events in some people. "This new research found that aspirin prevents cancers from spreading by decreasing TXA2 and releasing T cells from suppression," the press release stated. In mice with melanoma, the ones that were given aspirin had less frequent metastases of the cancer compared to those who were not given the medication. Daily Aspirin After A Heart Attack Can Reduce The Risk Of Future Events, Study Finds "It was a 'eureka' moment when we found TXA2 was the molecular signal that activates this suppressive effect on T cells," said first author Dr. Jie Yang from the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge in the release. "Before this, we had not been aware of the implication of our findings in understanding the anti-metastatic activity of aspirin," he went on. "Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies, and therefore more accessible globally." Previous studies have suggested that daily aspirin treatment is associated with reduced cancer spread in humans with the disease and with reduced cancer mortality in patients without metastasis, noted senior researcher Dr. Rahul Roychoudhuri, professor of cancer immunology at the University of Cambridge. In one randomized controlled trial, taking 600 milligrams of aspirin daily for an average of 25 months substantially reduced cancer incidence in carriers of hereditary colorectal cancer. Common Cancer Treatment Can Have This Painful Side Effect Pashtoon Kasi, M.D., medical director of gastrointestinal medical oncology at City of Hope Orange County in California, reiterated that previous research has linked aspirin use with a reduced risk of cancer, particularly gastrointestinal tract cancers. "It has been identified in numerous studies with mixed results on reducing the risk of recurrence and/or improving outcomes in patients with metastatic cancer," Kasi, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital. "This new study further demonstrates how aspirin and other inhibitors of this pathway could be used in new treatments to prevent the cancer from metastasizing or spreading." Roychoudhuri, the senior researcher, encouraged caution in applying the findings. While aspirin is low-cost and widely available, its long-term use is not without "significant risks," he said, including stomach bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke, particularly in older individuals. "This is why we emphasize that patients should not start taking aspirin for cancer prevention without specific medical advice from their doctor," he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The risk-benefit calculation varies substantially between individuals based on age, comorbidities and concurrent medications," the doctor noted. "Patients interested in aspirin therapy should discuss it with their oncologist or family practitioner, who can evaluate the potential benefits against the risks." For more Health articles, visit Kasi pointed out the study's potential limitations, primarily that the research was conducted on mice models rather than humans. "The study also did not take into account complications that some people who use aspirin regularly experience, such as bleeding or interactions with other medications," he noted. "However, it builds upon the growing body of evidence … and provides mechanistic insights into how this effect might occur from an immune perspective." Kasi agreed that patients should talk to their doctor to discuss the benefits and health risks associated with regular aspirin use. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "In some cases, low-dose aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs are already being considered in clinical use, as well as in additional trials – for example, for individuals born with Lynch syndrome who have a higher predisposition to developing colorectal, endometrial and other cancers," he noted. The scientists are planning to conduct more research — through the Add-Aspirin clinical trial, which will recruit more than 10,000 patients with early-stage breast, colorectal, gastroesophageal and prostate cancers across the U.K. and India — to determine whether aspirin can stop or delay the recurrence of these cancers. "Our research suggests aspirin could potentially be most beneficial for patients with early-stage cancers who have been treated with curative intent but might harbor undetected micrometastases," Roychoudhuri said. "However, further clinical validation is needed before specific recommendations can be made." The research received funding from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the European Research Council. The Add-Aspirin clinical trial is funded by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Medical Research Council and the Tata Memorial Foundation of article source: Common pain medication could reduce cancer spread, study finds
Fox News
12-03-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Common pain medication could reduce cancer spread, study finds
Taking a common over-the-counter pain reliever could help keep certain cancers from spreading. That's according to a new study from the University of Cambridge, which found that aspirin could reduce cancer metastatis (spread) by stimulating participants' immune systems. The findings were published in the journal Nature on March 5. In mouse models, scientists discovered that a certain protein called ARHGEF1 suppresses T-cells, which are immune cells that can pinpoint and attack individual cancer cells that break away from original tumors, according to a press release. ARHGEF1 was "switched on" when T cells were exposed to thromboxane A2 (TXA2), a chemical produced by platelets that helps with blood clotting. Too much of TXA2 can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. That's where aspirin comes in — it is already known to stop the production of TXA2 and prevent clotting, which is why it may be recommended to prevent cardiac events in some people. "Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies." "This new research found that aspirin prevents cancers from spreading by decreasing TXA2 and releasing T cells from suppression," the press release stated. In mice with melanoma, the ones that were given aspirin had less frequent metastases of the cancer compared to those who were not given the medication. "It was a 'eureka' moment when we found TXA2 was the molecular signal that activates this suppressive effect on T cells," stated first author Dr. Jie Yang from the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge in the release. "Before this, we had not been aware of the implication of our findings in understanding the anti-metastatic activity of aspirin," he went on. "Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies, and therefore more accessible globally." Previous studies have suggested that daily aspirin treatment is associated with reduced cancer spread in humans with the disease and with reduced cancer mortality in patients without metastasis, noted senior researcher Dr. Rahul Roychoudhuri, professor of cancer immunology at the University of Cambridge. In one randomized controlled trial, taking 600 milligrams of aspirin daily for an average of 25 months substantially reduced cancer incidence in carriers of hereditary colorectal cancer. Pashtoon Kasi, MD, medical director of gastrointestinal medical oncology at City of Hope Orange County in California, reiterated that previous research has linked aspirin use with a reduced risk of cancer, particularly gastrointestinal tract cancers. "It has been identified in numerous studies with mixed results on reducing the risk of recurrence and/or improving outcomes in patients with metastatic cancer," Kasi, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital. "This new study further demonstrates how aspirin and other inhibitors of this pathway could be used in new treatments to prevent the cancer from metastasizing or spreading." Roychoudhuri, the senior researcher, encouraged caution in applying the findings. While aspirin is low-cost and widely available, its long-term use is not without "significant risks," he said, including stomach bleeding and haemorrhagic stroke, particularly in older individuals. "This is why we emphasize that patients should not start taking aspirin for cancer prevention without specific medical advice from their doctor," he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The risk-benefit calculation varies substantially between individuals based on age, comorbidities and concurrent medications," the doctor noted. "Patients interested in aspirin therapy should discuss it with their oncologist or family practitioner, who can evaluate the potential benefits against the risks." Kasi pointed out the study's potential limitations, primarily that the research was conducted on mice models rather than humans. "The study also did not take into account complications that some people who use aspirin regularly experience, such as bleeding or interactions with other medications," he noted. "However, it builds upon the growing body of evidence … and provides mechanistic insights into how this effect might occur from an immune perspective." Kasi agreed that patients should talk to their doctor to discuss the benefits and health risks associated with regular aspirin use. "In some cases, low-dose aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs are already being considered in clinical use, as well as in additional trials – for example, for individuals born with Lynch syndrome who have a higher predisposition to developing colorectal, endometrial and other cancers," he noted. The scientists are planning to conduct more research — through the Add-Aspirin clinical trial, which will recruit more than 10,000 patients with early-stage breast, colorectal, gastroesophageal and prostate cancers across the U.K. and India — to determine whether aspirin can stop or delay the recurrence of these cancers. "Patients interested in aspirin therapy should discuss it with their oncologist or family practitioner, who can evaluate the potential benefits against the risks." "Our research suggests aspirin could potentially be most beneficial for patients with early-stage cancers who have been treated with curative intent but might harbor undetected micrometastases," Roychoudhuri said. "However, further clinical validation is needed before specific recommendations can be made." For more Health articles, visit The research received funding from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the European Research Council. The Add-Aspirin clinical trial is funded by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Medical Research Council and the Tata Memorial Foundation of India.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists on ‘Eureka moment' over how aspirin prevents cancer spread
Scientists have described the 'Eureka moment' when they discovered how aspirin may prevent some cancers from spreading. Their new research builds on existing evidence and suggests aspirin supports a boost in the immune system to help catch deadly cancer cells. Clinical trials in cancer patients are currently continuing into how aspirin could help stop the disease coming back. However, experts said cancer patients should not routinely take aspirin without speaking to their doctor because of potential side-effects, such as bleeding in the stomach. The new work was published in the journal Nature and funded by the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust. Led by the University of Cambridge, it suggests a path for aspirin to become a cancer treatment, alongside the development of more effective drugs to prevent cancer spreading. Researchers screened 810 genes in mice and found 15 that had an effect on cancer spread. In particular, they found that mice lacking a gene which produces a protein called ARHGEF1 were less likely to have cancer spread to the lungs and liver. The experts discovered that ARHGEF1 suppresses a type of immune cell called a T cell, which is important for recognising and killing metastatic (spreading to other parts of the body) cancer cells. They found that ARHGEF1 is switched on when T cells are exposed to a clotting factor called thromboxane A2 (TXA2) – this was an unexpected finding for the scientists. TXA2 is produced by platelets in the blood and aspirin is already known to cut the production of TXA2. The research found that aspirin can prevent cancers from spreading by decreasing TXA2 – releasing T cells from being suppressed so they can kill cancer cells. In mice given aspirin, the frequency of metastases was reduced compared with mice not on the drug, and this was dependent on releasing T cells from suppression by TXA2. Professor Rahul Roychoudhuri, from the University of Cambridge, who led the study, said: 'Despite advances in cancer treatment, many patients with early stage cancers receive treatments, such as surgical removal of the tumour, which have the potential to be curative, but later relapse due to the eventual growth of micrometastases – cancer cells that have seeded other parts of the body but remain in a latent state. 'Most immunotherapies are developed to treat patients with established metastatic cancer, but when cancer first spreads there's a unique therapeutic window of opportunity when cancer cells are particularly vulnerable to immune attack. 'We hope that therapies that target this window of vulnerability will have tremendous scope in preventing recurrence in patients with early cancer at risk of recurrence.' Dr Jie Yang, also from the University of Cambridge, said: 'It was a Eureka moment when we found TXA2 was the molecular signal that activates this suppressive effect on T cells. 'Before this, we had not been aware of the implication of our findings in understanding the anti-metastatic activity of aspirin. 'It was an entirely unexpected finding which sent us down quite a different path of inquiry than we had anticipated. 'Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies, and therefore more accessible globally.' Researchers are now working with Professor Ruth Langley at University College London, who is leading the Add-Aspirin clinical trial, to find out if aspirin can stop or delay early stage cancers from coming back. This trial, supported by Cancer Research UK, includes patients with breast, oesophageal, stomach, prostate and bowel cancer. Professor Langley said of the new work: 'This is an important discovery. It will enable us to interpret the results of ongoing clinical trials and work out who is most likely to benefit from aspirin after a cancer diagnosis. 'In a small proportion of people, aspirin can cause serious side-effects, including bleeding or stomach ulcers. 'Therefore, it is important to understand which people with cancer are likely to benefit, and always talk to your doctor before starting aspirin.' Alan Melcher, professor of translation immunotherapy at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said the side-effects of aspirin are not trivial – such as stomach bleeding. He added: 'This new research may help to design better, more targeted drugs, that interfere with the mechanism discovered here to do the good things that aspirin does, without the harmful side-effects.' Tanya Hollands, research information manager at Cancer Research UK, said further work is needed. She added: 'At the moment, there are no national guidelines for the general population to take aspirin to prevent or treat cancer… 'Cancer Research UK is funding similar research, including the Add-Aspirin trial, the world's largest clinical trial designed to look at aspirin as a way to stop cancer coming back after receiving cancer treatment. We look forward to seeing how research develops in this area.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How aspirin could help combat cancer
Aspirin stops cancer from spreading by keeping immune cells functioning, scientists have found in a 'Eureka' discovery. Previous studies have hinted that the over-the-counter drug may lower the risk of getting some cancers, stop them metastasising and even prevent death, but researchers were puzzled about how it worked. Now, British scientists have found that aspirin plays a crucial role in keeping immune cells called T cells active so they can fight off cancer spread. Experts from Cambridge University discovered that a protein is responsible for switching off immune cells which fight cancer spread. That protein is triggered by a clotting molecule called thromboxane A2 (TXA2), and aspirin can keep it at bay. It is the reason that aspirin also helps prevent blood clotting. Dr Jie Yang, an expert in cancer immunology, from Cambridge, said: 'It was a Eureka moment when we found TXA2 was the molecular signal that activates this suppressive effect on T cells. 'Before this, we had not been aware of the implication of our findings in understanding the anti-metastatic activity of aspirin. 'Aspirin, or other drugs that could target this pathway, have the potential to be less expensive than antibody-based therapies, and therefore more accessible globally.' The research found that aspirin can prevent cancers from spreading by decreasing TXA2, releasing T cells from being suppressed so they can kill cancer cells. In mice given aspirin, the frequency of metastases was reduced compared with mice not on the drug. Prof Rahul Roychoudhuri, also from the university, who led the study, said: 'Despite advances in cancer treatment, many patients with early stage cancers receive treatments, such as surgical removal of the tumour, which have the potential to be curative, but later relapse due to the eventual growth of micrometastases – cancer cells that have seeded other parts of the body but remain in a latent state. 'Most immunotherapies are developed to treat patients with established metastatic cancer, but when cancer first spreads there's a unique therapeutic window of opportunity when cancer cells are particularly vulnerable to immune attack 'We hope that therapies that target this window of vulnerability will have tremendous scope in preventing recurrence in patients with early cancer at risk of recurrence.' Researchers are now working with Prof Ruth Langley, at University College London, who is leading the Add-Aspirin clinical trial, to find out if aspirin can stop or delay early stage cancers from coming back. Prof Langley said the finding was 'an important discovery'. 'It will enable us to interpret the results of ongoing clinical trials and work out who is most likely to benefit from aspirin after a cancer diagnosis,' she said. 'In a small proportion of people, aspirin can cause serious side-effects, including bleeding or stomach ulcers. 'Therefore, it is important to understand which people with cancer are likely to benefit, and always talk to your doctor before starting aspirin.' Experts said the new research may also help to design better drugs that decrease TXA2 without the harmful side-effects of aspirin. The research, which was funded by the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust, was published in the journal Nature. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists crack how aspirin might stop cancers from spreading
Scientists believe they have discovered how the cheap painkiller aspirin can stop cancers spreading. In animal experiments they showed the drug enhanced the ability of the immune system to fight back. 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. Regular aspirin comes with risks and trials are still trying to figure out which patients are most likely to benefit. Tantalising data from more than a decade ago showed people who were already taking a daily aspirin were more likely to survive if they were diagnosed with cancer. But how? It appears to centre on a moment of vulnerability for a cancer - when a lone cell breaks off from the original tumour and tries, like a seed on the wind, to spread elsewhere in the body. This process is called metastasis and is the cause of the majority of deaths from cancer. 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. Prof Rahul Roychoudhuri, from the University of Cambridge, told me: "What we've discovered is that aspirin might work, surprisingly, by unleashing the power of the immune system to recognize and kill metastasizing cancer cells." He thinks the drug would work best in cancers that have been caught early and could be used after treatment such as surgery to help the immune system find any cancer that might already have spread. The most natural question for anybody with cancer to ask is should they be taking aspirin. "If you are a cancer patient, don't rush to your local pharmacy to buy aspirin just yet, but actively consider participation in ongoing or upcoming trials of aspirin," says Prof Mangesh Thorat, a surgeon and cancer researcher at Queen Mary University of London. He says the study provided "the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle" in understanding how aspirin works, but there were still questions to answer. Aspirin can cause dangerous internal bleeding including strokes so the risks have to be balanced. It is also not clear whether the effect works for all cancer or just specific ones. And this is still animal research so while the scientists think this would apply in people that will still need to be confirmed. Some patients - with Lynch syndrome, which increases the risk of cancers - are already recommended aspirin. But it will still take proper clinical trials to understand whether more patients would benefit too. These are already under way. Prof Ruth Langley, from the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, is leading the Add-Aspirin trial to see if aspirin can stop early stage cancers from coming back. She said the study's results were "an important discovery" as they would help to work out "who is most likely to benefit from aspirin after a cancer diagnosis". However, she again warned of the risks of taking aspirin and to "always talk to your doctor before starting". In the long-run, Prof Roychoudhuri suspects new drugs would be developed that take the benefits of aspirin, but with fewer of the risky side-effects. The discovery, published in the journal Nature, happened by accident as the scientists were not researching aspirin. The team in Cambridge were investigating how the immune system responded to cancers when they spread. They were using genetically engineered mice and found those lacking a specific set of genetic instructions were less likely to get metastatic cancer that had spread. Further investigation revealed how those T-cells were being suppressed and this started to overlap with how aspirin was known to work in the body. Dr Jie Yang, who carried out the research, said: "It was a Eureka moment. "It was an entirely unexpected finding which sent us down quite a different path of inquiry than we had anticipated." Boots recalls paracetamol over labelling error Warning over rapid at-home prostate tests Aspirin 'may prevent cancer in diabetes patients' Cancer family 'financially broken' by benefits wait Brain surgery took my childhood memories - will new op make me forget my fiance? The ultra-fast cancer treatments which could replace conventional radiotherapy
