People who take aspirin to protect their hearts and calcuim to protect their bones may also be protecting themselves against cancer.

Gastroenterologist Asif Choudhury tells us that each year, roughly 57,000 Americans die of colon cancer but there are exciting advancements and trials going on to help prevent this disease. "There is now a trial going on with other non steroidal inflammatory drug as well as aspirin, those also block those chemicals which will prevent cancer and polyp. Aspirin isn't the only good news when it comes to fighting colon cancer, it seems that calcium can play a role as well. "Calcium, the people who get a lot of polyps or get a lot of colon cancer they have a high tendency of having low calcium in their circulations....and we find that if you increase the calcium in their circulation, that also prevents the possibility of developing polyps also."

Dr. Choudhury is already telling his patients about this news. "We always now a days tell them to take 2 calcium a day, a total of 1 gram of calcium of day. We really found many cases that we can prevent the development of polyps."

Since colon cancer runs in David Jennings family, hearing about the possibility of aspirin preventing it has called him to action. "After hearing about this study I should take at least an aspirin every day."

Well, you need to talk to your doctor first. It's really too soon to recommend that anyone-even those at high risk-take an aspirin or any other antiinflamitory durg soley to lower their colon cancer risk.

John will keep us up to date on these studies. In the meantime, the most important thing you can do to protect yourself from colon cancer is to have regular screenings and by making certain changes in your diet and lifestyle.