While many researchers have been expounding the benefits of using aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs to prevent polyps and colorectal cancer, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) reports that the data do not add up. In a review published in the March 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, the group shows that the risk for gastrointestinal and cerebrovascular bleeding and the potential for kidney failure outweigh the potential benefits of these drugs.
"For patients at average risk for colorectal cancer, clinicians should not recommend ASA [aminosalicylic acid] or NSAID use for the prevention of polyps or colorectal cancer," Ned Calonge, MD, task force chair and chief medical officer and state epidemiologist for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Information told Medscape. "If they have patients currently on these therapies for colorectal cancer prevention, they should reconsider the risks and benefits."
The USPSTF is an independent panel of experts in prevention and primary care. The task force conducts impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/553408?src=mp
No comments:
Post a Comment