Aging and aspirin: a long-term look at cancer, heart health, and brain risks
Official title: Aspirins legacy on cancer and overall benefit: risk balance over a 15-year horizon
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11535359 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large study at a top hospital will follow older adults to understand how low-dose aspirin influences cancer, heart disease, and brain health over many years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $364,000 |
| NIH project number | 3U01CA301988-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11535359 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older who are part of or similar to the ASPREE-XT cohort, especially older adults at risk for cardiovascular disease and ADRD.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who do not take aspirin or whose risk profiles do not favor aspirin use may see little to no benefit or may experience risks.
What this research studies
This project plans to extend the ASPREE-XT study for five more years to gather long-term data on low-dose aspirin in older adults. It aims to see how aspirin affects cancer incidence and death, heart disease risk, and potential gastrointestinal bleeding, all within a 15-year horizon. Researchers will update risk models to better predict outcomes for the oldest-old and to tailor preventive advice. The study is conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital under the direction of Dr. Erica T. Warner and involves active follow-up with participants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help clinicians personalize aspirin use in older adults to balance cancer prevention, cardiovascular health, and bleeding risks.
How similar studies have gone: Prior ASPREE-related work has generated important data, but the long-term effects on cancer, ADRD, and bleeding remain uncertain and this extension seeks to clarify them.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Warner, Erica T — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Warner, Erica T
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.