Researchers at Harvard Medical College have made new discoveries regarding a person risk of having colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. This type of cancer results in the development of colorectal polyps within the inner walls of the colon and rectum. If found early, the disease is highly treatable, which is why it recommended that men and women over the age of fifty have colonoscopies.
While it is believed that taking a daily aspirin can reduce the risk of a heart attack for some people, aspirin may also play a role in preventing colorectal cancer. However, the ability of aspirin to affect your risk of colorectal cancer all depends on your genes. Those who had variations at the chromosome 12p12.3 (rs2965667,rs10505806, rs16973225), were more likely to have a lower risk of colorectal cancer with the use of aspirin. However different variations in this gene could also result in the opposite effect for 5% of the population, by increasing the risk of colorectal cancer. There are also some people whose genes would cause the aspirin to have no affect on the risk of them developing the illness.
Because these are only preliminary findings, doctors are not yet urging daily aspirin as a part of a person's health regimen for colorectal cancer prevention. However this new discovery can help lower the risk of colorectal cancer for thousands of people. My main concern about this, is whether these genes are influenced by any other traits, or whether the expression of these genes may change over time, causing the effect of aspirin to change.
Original Article: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/841689#vp_1have
Secondary Article: http://www.ccalliance.org/colorectal_cancer/overview.html
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