Abstract
Aspirin is one of the most successful drugs of all time. While in use, new indications were incorporated - from analgesic, antirheumatic and antithrombotic to antitumor effect.
The use of aspirin as chemoprophylaxis of colorectal carcinoma is a part of recommendations. It is necessary to change perspective and count both the decrease of atherothrombotic events and the decrease of number of carcinoma types during a chronic treatment with aspirin into the clinical benefit.
Clinical effect is well-documented, however, many questions remain unanswered regarding the mechanism of action - both on the level of aspirin itself and its active metabolite - salicylic acid. Irreversible inhibition of cyclooxygenase probably explains part of the effect.
Similarly, the efficacy of newly preferred enterosolvent form of aspirin is not elucidated. The results of number of clinical studies with this drug formulation do not support its efficacy.