Aspirin May Enhance Colon-Tumor Test

Stool tests are more effective in detecting colon tumors for people who take low-dose aspirin, new research finds. Many people take low-dose (baby) aspirin to help prevent heart attacks. But aspirin increases the risk of bleeding from the stomach or intestines. Fecal occult blood tests measure hidden blood in the stool, which can be caused by colon cancer. The study included 1,979 people. Their average age was 62. Of these, 233 took low-dose aspirin on a regular basis. The others never used it. Everyone was given two types of fecal occult blood test. Everyone also had a colonoscopy, which uses a tube attached to a camera to look for tumors inside the colon. The colonoscopy found an advanced tumor in about 1 out of 10 people. Some tumors were not cancerous. The rate was the same for people who did and did not take aspirin.