An aspirin a day may decrease your chance of developing prostate cancer by 20 percent according to research published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

In a large study of nearly 70,000 men with 12 years of questionnaire follow up, taking an adult-strength (325 mg) aspirin regularly for over five years significantly decreased the risk for prostate cancer.

Interestingly, aspirin use for less than five years did not provide the risk reducing protection.

Analysis: The researchers themselves acknowledge that the findings would need to be verified with a long term large study. However, other small and medium shorter term studies have come to the conclusion that aspirin and other NSAIDs appear to lower prostate cancer risk.

If you should choose to place yourself on an aspirin regimen, be sure to check with your doctor.

Related Articles / Study Results

• Daily NSAID Use Found to Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk
• Regular NSAID and COX-2 Inhibitor Use Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk
• Top Ten Ways To Reduce Your Prostate Cancer Risk
• Chronic Inflammation Increases Prostate Cancer Risk

Source: E. Jacobs, M Thun, E Bain, C Rodriguez, et. al. (2007) A Large Cohort Study of Long-Term Daily Use of Adult-Strength Aspirin and Cancer Incidence. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. (abstract).