ALASCCA Trial Results: Low-Dose Aspirin in PI3K-Altered CRC
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer morbidity worldwide, with recurrence posing a major challenge even after curative surgery and adjuvant treatment. Aspirin has long been recognized for its preventive effect on colorectal adenomas and cancer, but its role in improving outcomes after diagnosis has been less well defined. Observational studies hinted that patients with PIK3CA-mutated tumors might derive a survival benefit from aspirin, yet randomized evidence was lacking. The ALASCCA trial (Aspirin for Localized Advanced Stage Colorectal Cancer with Altered PI3K Pathway) provides the first large-scale randomized data evaluating aspirin in a molecularly defined population of PI3K-altered localized CRC, offering new insights into precision prevention in the adjuvant setting. What Is PI3K and Why Does It Matter in CRC? Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is a key signaling enzyme that regulates cell growth, metabolism, survival, and proliferation. In hea...