Aspirin as cancer antidote? India to join global clinical trials

India will collaborate with UK to conduct `Add-Aspirin' global drug clinical trials to investigate whether the use of the widely used medicine, aspirin, prevents recurrence of the most common cancers, like breast, gastric and oesophagus. Aspirin is widely-used as an analgesic to relieve pain, as well as to manage heart disease and stroke in certain patients.

Till now, there are only “incidental findings'' that aspi ings'' that aspirin can prevent the cancer from coming back in patients who have earlier undergone undergone treatment and are `cured' from the disease.

While the UK trials have already started, India will begin the trials as soon as the approval comes in. Researchers at Tata Memorial Hospital have submitted the application to the ethics committee, and plan to conduct these trials on over 1,600 subjects in the first quarter this year, Dr Manju Sengar medical oncologist at the Mumbai-based hospital told TOI.

The trials to be conducted at 18-20 sites in India will be funded by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, and other philanthropic entities. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/Aspirin-as-cancer-antidote-India-to-join-global-trials/articleshow/50508265.cms