Aspirin, the ODC gene, and Colon Cancer
Aspirin may reduce the risk of colon (bowel) cancer only in the presence of a specific variation of the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene. In the Aspirin/Folate Polyp Prevention Study, “a randomized controlled trial of aspirin and/or folate supplementation for the prevention of the recurrence of neoplastic polyps (adenomas) of the large bowel,” researchers found the following in participants with the ODC gene variant who were given aspirin:
- They were 23% less likely to develop new polyps
- They were 49% less likely to develop more advanced lesions
- 40.8% developed adenomas compared to 52.9% on placebo
- 7.1% developed advanced lesions compared to 14.0% on placebo
The researchers’ conclusion:
ODC genotype may modify the response to aspirin treatment for colorectal adenoma prevention.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, October 18, 2006
Cancer Research UK, October 27, 2006
Technorati Tags: Ornithine Decarboxylase, odc, aspirin, colon cancer, bowel cancer, cancer, genetics, genes, dna, diseases, health
