Bowel cancer is the world’s third most widespread cancer and every year more than a million new patients are diagnosed with the condition. In the majority of cases, the cancer grown from tiny, slow-growing nodules on the bowel wall called as polyps.
Earlier studies have shown that a matter found unsurprisingly in fish oil called EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and aspirin taken together provide some protection from bowl polyps. New study is to be conducted to find out if taking both pills each day could prevent bowel cancer.
The major benefit of EPA and aspirin is that they both are secure and they have few side effects. These are already used widely by people who have heart disease or who have had a stroke, said leader of the trail Professor Mark Hull from the Leeds University.
While taken together, the protective effect may be even higher as researchers now plan to detect. If effectual pills could be found, patients at risk of developing the growths would require far less check-ups.
If this treatment is shown to be safe and effective, then in future it could be given to more patients who have been found to have these pre-cancerous bowel polyps and are at risk of developing others in the future, explained University’s Professor Mark Hull.
About one thousand people are to be conscripted from the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) in England to take part in the research. The study, led by the University of Leeds, will look at the pills’ effects.