Is aspirin the standard maintenance medicine for rectal cancer?

bala07
bala07 Member Posts: 25
in Colorectal Cancer #1
My mom underwent surgery,radiation and chemotherapy for 3rd stage rectal cancer. Her last cycle is going to be over in another week. Our onc said after looking at the scans, he will decide if low dosage of aspirin will be given to her as a maintenance medicine.

Is aspirin generally given to everyone after chemo treatments of rectal cancer?
Is it based on any specific criteria? Will aspirin cause any side effect?

Comments

  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
    #2
    For Stage 3
    there is no specific maintenance program following the adjuvant chemo/radiation.

    Low dose aspirin is thought to be an effective preventative of several conditions, including stroke, heart attack, and some cancers.

    Probably the best thing she can do is get into an exercise program, as most of the data suggests that this reduced recurrence by as much as 50%. Here is a link to the review:

    Review of Data Showing Benefit of Exercise as Adjuvant Therapy

    It might be reasonable to print that out and see if your mom's oncologist will write a script for physical therapy to get her started?

    In the meantime, here is an article about Aspirin use and CRC:

    Article About CRC and Aspirin
  • karen40
    karen40 Member Posts: 211 Member
    #3
    Aspirin

    I too had surgery, radiation and chemo. My crc was stage 2. I just finished chemo and had scans. All looked good. My onc. had recommended that I start taking a low dose, baby aspirin everyday. It's based on recent studies that show a daily aspirin treatment will reduces the chance of re-occurrence of crc. I am unaware of any side effects that the aspirin may cause. Good question. The link below should help:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22084361

    Karen
  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
    #4
    Buckwirth said:

    For Stage 3
    there is no specific maintenance program following the adjuvant chemo/radiation.

    Low dose aspirin is thought to be an effective preventative of several conditions, including stroke, heart attack, and some cancers.

    Probably the best thing she can do is get into an exercise program, as most of the data suggests that this reduced recurrence by as much as 50%. Here is a link to the review:

    Review of Data Showing Benefit of Exercise as Adjuvant Therapy

    It might be reasonable to print that out and see if your mom's oncologist will write a script for physical therapy to get her started?

    In the meantime, here is an article about Aspirin use and CRC:

    Article About CRC and Aspirin

    If still accessible, there was an article dated 10/17/11 at
    cancernetwork.com

    entitled:Could aspirin be a viable adjuvant treatment for Cancer?

    Seems greatest effect was in people having a tumor over-expressing Cox-2
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #5
    non toxic maintenance
    We found Life Extension Foundation's Colon Cancer Protocols for maintenance without chemo, or after chemo, far more comprehensive in scope and presentation. LEF acknowledges aspirin as a positive treatment factor, prefers celecoxib or related COX2 inhibitors for patients with commonly overexpressed COX2 markers. Getting the pathology slides stained for COX2, and read, takes extra time and money.

    Daily COX2 coverage for my stage IV wife? 1/4- 1/2 standard aspirin, for platelets too, 750 mg of 80% silimarin extract along with fish oil, green tea EGCG, quercetin and curcumin. Still working on the COX2 stained slides part and thinking about the celecoxib recommendation.

    This is usually ND, PhD or alternative med MD/DO territory, not oncologists attending an ASCO-"Pharmco" dinner or cruise.

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