Aspirin May Help Prevent Esophageal Cancer — Continued

Doctors have long been puzzled why some GERD patients develop Barrett’s esophagus while others never do. To search for an explanation, the Baylor Scott & White research team analyzed cells from patients who had GERD and Barrett’s esophagus, as well as cells from people who suffered from GERD but had not developed the pre-cancerous condition.

The results showed cells from the two groups of GERD patients reacted differently when exposed to bile and acid, common substances in stomach contents that reflux back into the esophagus. In the cells from people with Barrett’s esophagus, the bile-acid mixture triggered inflammation and the induction of the CDX2 gene known to be associated with esophageal cancer.

The study, published in the journal GUT, found there is a way to block this gene change. All it took was exposing the cells to aspirin. The results indicate the drug may protect against Barrett’s esophagus and eventual esophageal cancer.

What’s more, the researchers discovered aspirin could offer addition protection to people who have already developed Barrett’s esophagus and are treated with radiofrequency ablation, an endoscopic procedure used to burn away the pre-cancerous cells associated with Barrett’s.

If people are treated with aspirin before and after the ablation, the researchers believe it could keep the abnormal cells from regrowing in the esophagus, blocking Barrett’s esophagus from reoccurring, and preventing a progression to cancer.

Additional research has also shown that taking aspirin along with a high-dose proton pump inhibitor, a medicine that reduces the amount of stomach acid you produce, can prevent Barrett’s esophagus from progressing.

If you are interested in taking baby, or low-dose, aspirin regularly for possible cancer prevention, talk to your doctor and make sure it is safe for you. In some people, regular use of normal-sized aspirin can cause significant side effects, including internal bleeding and anemia in older adults.

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