According to a new study, lower doses of the popular painkiller aspirin taken daily could drastically reduce the risk of having bowel cancer for those with Lynch syndrome and without the severe side effects of the higher doses currently recommended to them.

Scientists say people diagnosed with the genetic disorder face a higher risk of several cancers and are prone to an earlier onset due to DNA-repairing gene mutations. Lynch syndrome, also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, is caused by inherited mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes, making the body less effective at correcting DNA copying errors. The findings of this study were revealed at the Cancer Research UK Prevention Conference, highlighting that a daily intake of low-dose aspirin – also known as baby aspirin – ranging from 75 to 100 mg could lower the risk of bowel cancer just as well as 600 mg doses.

“For 30 years, scientists have observed fewer cancers in people who take aspirin. The CaPP3 trial now tells us that aspirin can prevent bowel cancer at lower doses, minimising the chances of side effects whilst offering vital protection for people with Lynch syndrome,” said Professor Sir John Burn, Professor of Clinical Genetics at Newcastle University and head researcher of the CaPP3 trial. “However, only a quarter of people with Lynch syndrome are currently taking aspirin. Too many people are missing out on a potentially life-changing opportunity to prevent cancer,” he added.

While the study has still not been peer-reviewed, it took 1,879 of those with Lynch syndrome from the UK, three other European nations, and Australia to yield promising results. Over a five-year period, participants were given daily aspirin doses of 75-100 mg, 300 mg, or 600 mg.

According to the findings of the study, those taking the lowest aspirin dose fared just as well as those on higher doses, with a reduction in bowel cancers observed across all three dose groups. Experts say the side effects of aspirin are extremely low.

Doctors say Lynch syndrome can affect anyone since it is the result of a genetic mutation that can be passed from your parents to you during foetal development. Sometimes, genetic mutations occur randomly, without being present in someone’s family history.

The symptoms of Lynch syndrome vary from person to person based on the severity of their diagnosis, similar to those of colon cancer. A few of these symptoms include: