Implications for research and practice
Cancer, ’ Voice, colorectal cancer, breast cancer
COLORECTAL CANCER, BREAST CANCER, AIDS, EVENTS, HEART, CANCER
Multilevel strategies, targeting both patients and healthcare professionals, could be used to support prescribing of aspirin for preventive therapy.The findings from the current study suggest one approach to supporting GPs’ discussions with patients on the benefits and harms of aspirin for preventive therapy is increasing awareness on using aspirin for this purpose through formal training, educational events, and GP magazines. There may also be scope to change GPs’ knowledge and behaviour through patient-mediated interventions,One approach to increasing patients’ knowledge is decision aids. This approach has been successful for breast cancer preventive therapy whereby tailored web-based decision aids have been observed to increase patients’ knowledge and to support decision making.This study found evidence to suggest that individual guidance and advice from specialist clinicians, especially in colorectal cancer, may help increase the prescribing of aspirin among unwilling GPs.Local pathways setting out roles and responsibilities of GPs, pharmacists, and specialist clinicians are warranted, and should be clearly described in GP training materials that discuss the use of aspirin for colorectal cancer prevention. Furthermore, these training and educational materials should clarify the role of GPs when asked to prescribe off-label medication, as well as highlighting the importance of ensuring medications obtained over-the-counter are recorded on patients’ medical records.The authors thank all participants who took part in the study. The authors also acknowledge the AsCaP senior executive board and committee members. Aspirin for Cancer Prevention (AsCaP) Steering Committee Members: Jack Cuzick (Chair), Queen Mary University of London; Frances Balkwill, Queen Mary University of London; Tim Bishop, University of Leeds; Sir John Burn, Newcastle University; Andrew T Chan, Harvard School of Medicine; Colin Crooks, University of Nottingham; Chris Hawkey, University of Nottingham; Ruth Langley, University College London; Mairead McKenzie, Independent Cancer Patients’ Voice; Belinda Nedjai, Queen Mary University of London; Paola Patrignani, Università “G. d’Annunzio” di Chieti-Pescara; Carlo Patrono, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome; Bianca Rocca, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome; Samuel Smith, University of Leeds; Laura Greaves, Newcastle University.