Can aspirin prevent colon cancer and strokes?
Q. My father had colon cancer, and I have had polyps myself, including a precancerous one. Consequently, I might be an ideal candidate for daily aspirin to prevent colon cancer.
However, my family also has a huge history of stroke. In a previous column, you addressed aspirin therapy as a rather significant risk factor for stroke. I don’t know how to weigh the risk/benefit ratio of aspirin therapy, considering these two factors. Can you help?
A. Before your physician can make any recommendations, it is essential to know what kind of strokes your family has experienced. If they were primarily ischemic strokes caused by a clot in a blood vessel of the brain, then aspirin might be protective.
If, on the other hand, they were hemorrhagic strokes caused by bleeding into the brain, aspirin might pose an unacceptable risk.
A recent study in the journal Cancer (April 22, 2024) explains how aspirin helps the immune system track down colorectal cancer cells and reduce the risk for metastases. A comprehensive review of prior research concluded that people taking aspirin were significantly less likely to develop cancer in their digestive tracts (Annals of Oncology, April 1, 2020).
Only your physician can determine if the benefits of regular aspirin use outweigh the risk. This is not a do-it-yourself project.
Q. I have prediabetes and need to lose some weight to qualify for back surgery. That’s why my doctor prescribed Ozempic.
The first month, I was on a low dose and had minor nausea. After it was increased to 0.5 milligrams a week, I suffered persistent nausea and constipation. I could barely stand to look at food.
This drug limited my social interactions for fear of throwing up. I felt like I was in my first trimester of pregnancy, so I could not continue. What other options will help me control my blood sugar levels?
A. Some people find the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation associated with semaglutide (Ozempic) intolerable. There are many other ways to manage blood sugar, though, including older medications such as metformin.
You can learn about the pros and cons of diabetes drugs and non-drug approaches in our “eGuide to Preventing and Treating Diabetes.” This online resource can be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q. I read that SLS could cause canker sores. I have found a toothpaste without SLS called Squigle. I tried it and love it. Since I began using it, I’ve not had a single canker sore.
Like toothpaste, shampoo often contains SLS. I used to have a lot of what my mother would call “creeping crud” on my scalp. Nothing helped much; anti-dandruff shampoos worked but only if I used them very frequently. Using no-SLS shampoos has gotten rid of the crud for years.
A. We checked the ingredients of Squigle. It is indeed free of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). In fact, it contains 36% xylitol, a natural sugar from birch trees that combats bacteria that form plaque on teeth.
SLS is a surfactant. That means that it is a foaming agent, commonly found in body care products like shampoos. The detergent action may be irritating to the skin. That’s probably why some people report canker sores after using SLS-containing toothpaste (Dermatitis, September-October 2021). Other people may experience scalp irritation upon exposure to SLS in shampoos.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”