Three recently published studies indicate that aspirin, already enjoying a second lease of life in the prevention of heart disease, may soon become a first line of defence against cancer.

Two prospective, placebo controlled studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2002:348;883-90 and 891-9) looked at patients at risk of colorectal cancer. Both studies found a clear benefit from aspirin in reducing the frequency of new colorectal polyps.

The second of these studies, led by John Baron of Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, followed 1084 patients with a history …