Could Asprin be the miracle pill for preventing cancer?

On Tuesday researchers revealed that aspirin — the little white pill we all take for granted — could be a breakthrough medicine in the fight against cancer. But with serious health risks also linked to its long-term use, what do the findings really mean? Fiachra Ó Cionnaith reports

THE claims could not be more eye-catching.Speaking at a briefing for medical journalists in London on Tuesday, Professor Jack Cuzick, head of the centre for cancer prevention at the Queen Mary University, said aspirin — the little white painkiller best known for tackling headaches — could in fact be a life-saving weapon in the battle against cancer.

The research, published in the latest edition of peer-review journal the Annals of Oncology, suggests the widely-used drug could potentially prevent tens of thousands of deaths in Ireland over the coming years.