Some recent research on aspirin and cancer:

• Taking an adult-strength aspirin daily for at least five years was associated with a 30 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer, a 20 percent lower risk of prostate cancer and a 15 percent lower risk of cancer overall, American Cancer Society researchers reported last week.

• Last month, a report from the long-running Nurses Health Study found women who took low to moderate aspirin doses had a 12 percent lower risk of death from cancer.

• But in 2005, another report from the nurses study suggested aspirin helped prevent colorectal cancer only if women took low doses for a decade.

• Also in 2005, the more rigorous Women’s Health Study found women assigned to take a baby aspirin every other day for 10 years were no less likely to have any of a list of cancers than women assigned to dummy pills.