Aspirin may slow growth of mesothelioma, according to researchers at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. Aspirin apparently prevents the harmful effects of High-Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), an inflammatory molecule that aids mesothelioma in its growth and progression.
Hawaii Researchers Learn That Aspirin Has Anti-Tumor Properties that Block Key Molecule in Cancer Progression
Researcher Dr. Haining Yang reported in the journal Cell Death & Disease that blocking the effects of HMGB1 “dramatically” curtailed the growth of mesothelioma tumors in mice and “significantly” increased survival times for animals treated with aspirin. Dr. Yang and Dr. Michele Carbone, MD, PhD, who directs the University’s Thoracic Oncology Program, discovered that aspirin’s previously unknown anti-tumor properties work to disrupt HMBG1 activity.
The Hawaii researchers suggest that people at high risk for mesothelioma might benefit from taking aspirin daily to prevent or delay onset of the disease. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer whose only confirmed cause is asbestos exposure. People at greatest risk for the disease are older men who have been exposed to asbestos on the job. Workers at industrial and construction sites, mechanics and those who have served aboard ship in the Navy are among the groups known to have had heavy asbestos exposure.
Dr. Yang and his other colleagues in the study encourage future research to learn precisely how aspirin blocks HMGB1.
Contact Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel to Learn More About Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit
If you (or a loved one) have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact us by email or call us at 800.226.9880 to speak with our asbestos lawyers, like Michael Gurien in our California office, to learn more about how we can assist you and your family with a mesothelioma lawsuit.
