A new study suggests that taking the painkiller aspirin could help to reduce a person's risk of getting specific types of cancer.

Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong conducted a study which analysed the effects of aspirin on a person's risk of developing cancer. It found that those who were taking aspirin long-term had reduced their risk of developing digestive cancer, leukaemia, lung and prostate cancer. It's believed the painkiller has properties that block certain enzymes which allow cancer tumours to grow. According to RTÉ, the researchers studied over 600,000 people, some who had been taking aspirin for more than six months and some that hadn't consumed any aspirin at all. Of the people involved in the study, over 200,000 had been taking aspirin long-term, while the remaining 400,000 hasn't. They were monitored for 14 years tracking their health in terms of cancer. The results showed that aspirin takers were 47percent less likely to be diagnosed with liver or oesophagus cancer. They were 38percent less likely to develop stomach cancer, 34percent less likely to develop pancreatic cancer and 23percent less likely to develop bowel cancer. The development of prostate cancer dropped by 14percent, leukaemia dropped by 24percent and it also dropped by over one third for lung cancer. Commenting on the results, Professor Kelvin Tsoi said:

"The findings demonstrate that the long-term use of aspirin can reduce the risk of developing many major cancers. What should be noted is the significance of the results for cancers within the digestive tract, where the reductions in cancer incidence were all very substantial, especially for liver and oesophageal cancer."