Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer type in males and the second in females, accounting for about 693,900 deaths worldwide per year. Although the annual CRC mortality rate is still very high, it demonstrated a decline by 47% among men and 44% among women from 1990 to 2015. This decreasing trend may be attributed to improved screening, early detection as well as combined CRC treatment. In fact, the mortality rate is expected to reduce further by long-term use of chemopreventive agents that can prevent the development of neoplasms in the large bowel. Several decades of research both in clinic and laboratory has identified aspirin as an effective synthetic CRC chemoprevention drug.

It is commonly accepted that aspirin exerts its chemopreventive effects by inhibiting catalytic enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX) -1 and COX-2 involved in prostaglandin synthesis. But the mechanism of its chemopreventive effect on CRC is not clearly understood. Other than CRC, aspirin also showed its potential inhibitory effects on some other types of solid cancer, such as pancreatic, lung, breast and prostate cancers. However, its effects on extragastrointestinal cancer types are still elusive due to lack of reliable supporting evidence from randomized clinical trials. Based on current knowledge, it is unclear why aspirin appears to inhibit CRC more than other cancers. This might be associated with the unique microenvironment comprising trillions of microbes in which CRC resides.


Clinical Trial Description

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer type in males and the second in females, accounting for about 693,900 deaths worldwide per year.

It is commonly accepted that aspirin exerts its chemopreventive effects by inhibiting catalytic enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX) -1 and COX-2 involved in prostaglandin synthesis.This hypothetic mechanism is supported by clinical data from two large cohorts that found that the regular use of aspirin reduced the risk of CRC with high expression of COX-2 but not with low or no expression of COX-2.

Based on current knowledge, it is unclear why aspirin appears to inhibit CRC more than other cancers. This might be associated with the unique microenvironment comprising trillions of microbes in which CRC resides. Therefore, the investigator hypothesizes that there is a link between the chemopreventive mechanism of aspirin, gut microbiota as well as the metabolome.

During the past decade, evidence has accumulated that microbiota in the host is highly sensitive to the gut microenvironment since its composition and activity can be rapidly and reproducibly changed by diet or nutrients. As such, an acidic drug like aspirin may be able to alter the gut microbiota composition. It is thus conceivable that the CRC preventive action of aspirin may be through the alteration of host gut microbes. ;


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT03450317
Study type Interventional
Source Chinese University of Hong Kong
Contact Ka Man KEE, MPH
Phone +85235053855
Email carmenkee@cuhk.edu.hk
Status Recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date March 1, 2018
Completion date December 31, 2021

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Withdrawn NCT03239197 - Project SHARE (motherS Have All the Right microbEs) N/A
Completed NCT04117802 - Effects of Maple Syrup on Gut Microbiota Diversity and Metabolic Syndrome N/A
Recruiting NCT06144905 - Norwegian Microbiota Study in Anorexia Nervosa
Completed NCT05864352 - The Role of Dietary Titanium Dioxide on the Human Gut Microbiome and Health
Recruiting NCT04138979 - Intestinal Microbiota of Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
Recruiting NCT04132713 - Study on Skin Microbiome of HFS
Completed NCT05726435 - Effects of Soluble Dietary Fiber on Sport Efficiency and Fatigue Delay in Top Basketball Players N/A
Recruiting NCT02695784 - Probiotics After Discharge Phase 4
Completed NCT03543891 - Intestinal Microbiota and Thyroid Cancer
Completed NCT05242913 - Effects of Resistant Potato Starch on the Gut Microbiota N/A
Recruiting NCT04200521 - The Effect of Bariatric Procedures on Gut Microbiota in Obese Individuals in United Arab Emirates and Lebanon
Recruiting NCT05891977 - Effect of Tomato Paste Consumption on the Microbiota-gut-brain Axis in Healthy Adults N/A
Completed NCT02988349 - Ecological Effect of Arginine Dentifrice on Oral Microbiota N/A
Completed NCT05352724 - Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of a Sport Drink After High-intensity Aerobic Exercise N/A
Completed NCT04674839 - The Impact of MS-20 on Gut Microbiota Composition in Adult Individuals N/A
Completed NCT03754504 - Effects of Cranberry Powder Supplements on Gut Microbiota Diversity and Metabolic Syndrome N/A
Completed NCT05394948 - Circular Economy and the Design of Healthy and Sustainable Food and Ingredients N/A
Terminated NCT03752372 - Microbiome Alterations in IL10RA-deficient Patients After HSCT
Completed NCT05974124 - Effectiveness of Ophthalmic Antiseptic Preparations N/A
Recruiting NCT02005003 - Cognitive and Metabolic Effects of a Probiotic Supplement N/A