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NEWS: Janice Hopkins Tanne Aspirin reduced risk of cancer in large US study BMJ 2007; 334: 816-a [Full text]

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The inflammatory theory.. again !

MOHAMED S. NOSHI,MD,FACP, Abu DHabi UAE PO Box 51900   (24 April 2007)

The inflammatory theory.. again ! 24 April 2007
MOHAMED S. NOSHI,MD,FACP, Senior consultant Internal Medicine Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu DHabi UAE PO Box 51900 Send response to journal: Re: The inflammatory theory.. again !	The theory that chronic inflammation (wether caused by infective agents or exposure to toxins or even diet and obesity)leads to cancerous changes is gaining again more solid grounds. The balance in human body between different "Eicosanoids",some are pro-inflammatory ,others are anti-inflammatory can be tipped off in favour of the anti-inflammatory side with the use of Aspirin. The role of aspirin is not merely shutting down the production of inflammatory prostaglandins but there is also the documented production of de-novo anti-inflammatory eicosanoids only in the presence of aspirin. This favourable anti-inflammatory responce of aspirin is augmented by the presence of EPA (Ployunsaturated fatty acid). Again we have to strike a balance between protective benefits of aspirin vs. potential complications like gastrointestinal and other organs bleeding. Competing interests: None declared