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Aspirin - do people use it ?

User
Posted 05 Mar 2025 at 19:11

I was reading about the add aspirin trials - they seem to think that aspirin can help in stopping prostate cancer from spreading- I think the trial is fully subscribed, but wondered if anyone has heard if it really has benefits ?   I use co-codomol regularly for relief from back pain - maybe I would be better switching to aspirin?

User
Posted 05 Mar 2025 at 21:19
I saw that news item on the BBC website, very interesting. The story is that platelets (small cells - in fact too small to be real cells - in the blood involved in clotting) can inhibit the body's normal immune defence against metastatic cells, and inhibiting platelet action with aspirin means the immune system is better at removing those metastases.

Doctors these days tend not to recommend aspirin, really because it is a problem for anyone who has stomach ulcers, precisely because of its effects on platelets and clotting. If you have a tendency towards bleeding from ulcers, the last thing you want is to inhibit clotting. For most things ibuprofen or paracetamol are equally effective alternatives.

Interestingly that same anti-clotting property is a benefit to anyone who has a stroke, which is caused by a clot and will be exacerbated by further clotting. The best thing you can do for someone suffering a stroke (after calling 999) is immediately give them an aspirin.

Anyway, the effect of aspirin on platelets is irreversible - which means a dose can inhibit them for a couple of days. (If you ever take aspirin, you may have noticed how shaving nicks take longer to heal). Ibuprofen, which is a broadly similar drug, is different in that its effect on platelets wears off in a few hours - so it might work as well for helping cancer spread but you would have to take it more often. Paracetamol, which is a component of cocodamol, is a bit less effective against platelets and again wears off.

I think Sscrabble from your previous posts, you are currently on HT awaiting RT. HT should provide an effective brake on prostate cancer, including any metastasis, and obviously RT is designed to deal with all the known sites of cancer.

Having said that, if aspirin is as effective against your back pain as cocodamol then the new data suggests it might be worth considering for its additional anti-cancer effect. But you should talk to your doctor, your current treatment is obviously designed to be enough to work, and long term aspirin does have a significant risk of side effects.
User
Posted 06 Mar 2025 at 08:45

Thanks JB


I am indeed hoping the hormone therapy will help stop it spreading - it had better be doing something because I am not enjoying this new life of constant hot flushes- maybe 10 during the night and fifteen during the day ( is that about average? ).   


I have been on it for about 8 weeks now , not put any weight on yet - does that start later ?  The worry of that has spurred me on to start playing squash again - about 5 games a week - so feeling some satisfaction from doing that.  


I will ask whatever medical staff I see about whether to switch to aspirin- but when I thought about it I realised that after seeing the oncologist several weeks ago , I have no idea when I will see any doctor again - I have a bone scan next week - the pre rt scan at the beginning of April , and the 20 sessions of RT will take until the end of May - but when does anyone actually look at what is going on again ?   We are just left to worry about it without any progress reports or information for a very long time !


 


 


 

User
Posted 06 Mar 2025 at 10:24

Really quite interesting stuff this.  I have been on aspirin since 2019 as I was also diagnosed essential thrombocythemia which means I have far too many platelets.  Whilst my PSA continues to rise it is at a relatively slow rate for a G9 I wonder if aspirin is helping me.

User
Posted 06 Mar 2025 at 16:26

When I was first diagnosed in 2014 T4n1m1a G9 Psa 342 my onco said he could not recommend any supplements in his role however he then went on to say that in his personal opinion every human should take vit D and low dose (75mg) aspirin every day . I have been doing this for 10 years now , been on Abbi for 9 years and PSA last month 0.11, lowest it’s been for years . I do stay fit and exercise daily and have a better diet (not perfect) than when I was diagnosed and have no idea if the docs suggestion works at all but I am still here. 

Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019

User
Posted 06 Mar 2025 at 22:06

I also take low dose aspirin daily, together with my BP meds daily.

 
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