Hundreds of Irish patients are about to take part in an international clinical trial to test whether aspirin can be used to prevent early stage cancer from returning.
The trial, which will have over 11,000 participants globally, will be among the largest in the world.
Aspirin is a proven painkiller, as well as a prevention and treatment for heart disease and stroke.
Studies in those areas have also found an apparent interesting side effect - that the drug appears to either prevent people from developing cancer or makes early stage cancer less likely to spread.
However, no large scale clinical trials have ever been conducted to test this anecdotal indication for real.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
The Add-Aspirin trial intends to probe the question through a massive long-term trial across three countries.
"At a time when we are used to new cancer treatments being relatively costly, the possibility of repurposing an inexpensive, generic drug that is available worldwide to stop or slow cancer is potentially ground breaking," said Dr Gregory Leonard, Consultant Medical Oncology, Galway University Hospital and the trial's Chief Investigator for Ireland.
"The results of this trial could have a huge impact on the global cancer burden, particularly given the increasing cancer incidence in lower resource countries."
11,000 participants from the UK, Ireland and India will be taking part in it, including 300 patients here who are attending one of 10 participating hospitals.
Each will have undergone or begun treatment for early stage breast, stomach, oesophagus or prostate cancer.
The trial will test whether taking aspirin daily for five years after traditional cancer treatments can stop it from returning and also examine any possible side-effects.
Patients will then be followed up for a decade after they finish taking the drug.
The trial is being led by University College London, with funding coming from a range of international sources.
Cancer Trails Ireland is coordinating it here, with funding support from the Health Research Board and the Irish Cancer Society.
Bayer is providing the aspirin that will be used during the trial.
The opening of the trial coincides with the start of Cancer Week tomorrow.
