Aspirin May Extend the Lives of Some Liver Cancer Patients

Patients treated for the most common type of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, may benefit from post-procedural aspirin.

Dr. F. Edward Boas

Dr. F. Edward Boas. Photo by Ethan Kavet.

During transarterial embolization (TAE), physicians block blood flow to a tumor or other growth. It is often used in liver cancer patients who cannot have surgery. In a retrospective review published recently by the American Journal of Roentgenology, MSK’s Dr. F. Edward Boas and colleagues concluded that taking aspirin after TAE can lengthen life. The 42 patients included in the review who took the drug averaged 57 months of overall survival; the 262 who did not averaged 23 months.

In an article in Cure Today, Dr. Boas said he aims to follow the retrospective review with a clinical trial. He also noted that due to potential side effects of aspirin, patients need to consult with their doctors prior to taking the drug.