Add-Aspirin Trial

Add-Aspirin is a large clinical trial taking place in the UK, Republic of Ireland and India. The trial aims to involve 11,000 participants to help find out whether using regular aspirin after treatment of early stage cancer can help stop the cancer coming back (3).  Add-Aspirin is open to patients with a number of different cancers including oesophageal cancer and stomach cancer.

There is already data from smaller studies supporting the theory that aspirin can be both safe and useful in the treatment of cancer (4).  Add-Aspirin is a much larger international trial designed to further investigate the potential benefits of aspirin. Participants that agree to take part in the study will be randomly chosen to either take daily small doses of aspirin, larger doses of aspirin, or a tablet with no active drug ingredient (called a placebo pill). Neither the patient nor the doctor will know which treatment is being given which helps to make the trial results more reliable.

As a low-cost medicine that is widely available, aspirin could have a huge impact on cancer treatment worldwide. If you are interested in taking part in Add-Aspirin, please talk to your doctor who will be able to consider whether you are suitable for the trial.

3. Coyle C, Cafferty FH, Rowley S, MacKenzie M, Berkman L, Gupta S, et al. ADD-ASPIRIN: A phase III, double-blind, placebo controlled, randomised trial assessing the effects of aspirin on disease recurrence and survival after primary therapy in common non-metastatic solid tumours. Contemp Clin Trials. 512016. p. 56-64

4. Bosetti C, Rosato V, Gallus S, Cuzick J, La Vecchia C. Aspirin and cancer risk: a quantitative review to 2011. Ann Oncol. 2012;23(6):1403-15.