Search Results (256)

Background/Objectives: Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial condition driven by complex neuroendocrine and metabolic pathways that limit the long-term success of lifestyle interventions. Pharmacotherapy has advanced from early monoaminergic agents to incretin-based and multi-receptor agonists with substantially improved efficacy. This review aims to provide pharmacodynamics-focused synthesis of current and emerging anti-obesity medications, emphasizing mechanistic targets, receptor interactions, and translational implications. Methods: We conducted a narrative review integrating Phase I–III clinical trials, mechanistic pharmacology data (receptor affinity, potency, and signaling bias), and regulatory summaries for FDA-approved and selected emerging, investigational, repurposed, or regionally approved anti-obesity agents. Inclusion focused on clinical relevance, pharmacodynamic novelty, and weight-loss efficacy. Results: Approved anti-obesity medications act through diverse pathways, including the inhibition of fat absorption (orlistat), the modulation of central appetite circuits (phentermine/topiramate, naltrexone/bupropion), and incretin-based mechanisms (liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide, and the oral GLP-1 receptor agonists semaglutide 25 mg and the nonpeptide orforglipron). GLP-1 receptor agonists achieve approximately 6–15% weight loss, while dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide/GLP-1 receptor agonists such as tirzepatide reach 15–20%. Emerging agents—including triple agonists (retatrutide), glucagon-based co-agonists, amylin analogs with Phase III efficacy data, earlier-stage growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) pathway agonists, and peripherally restricted cannabinoid-1 receptor inverse agonists—demonstrate enhanced metabolic effects and potential improvements in lean-mass preservation. Obesity-related alterations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics highlight the need for individualized dosing strategies. Conclusions: Clinical efficacy and tolerability cannot be inferred from receptor identity alone. They emerge from relative receptor potency and efficacy, exposure, tissue access, receptor trafficking, and mechanism-linked adverse effects. Dual and triple agonists can broaden efficacy, but receptor balance and standardized comparative pharmacology remain essential for rational development and individualized dosing. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic required repeated revision of national treatment protocols; evaluating prescribing against the guidance then in force is central to stewardship. Objective: To characterize clinical outcomes of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, and to assess prescribing appropriateness using the Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI) benchmarked against contemporaneous Ministry of Health (MOH) guidance. Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study of all adults (aged 18 years or over) admitted with COVID-19 between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2021. Two trained clinical pharmacists independently applied the MAI to 1018 prescriptions. All associations were examined in univariable, unadjusted analyses. Results: Hypertension (44.1%), diabetes (38.7%), end-stage renal disease (13.7%), and cardiac disease (12.4%) were prevalent. In-hospital mortality was 26.8% (121/451 patients with a determinate outcome). Diabetes (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.32–3.08), hypertension (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.26–2.93), and cardiac disease (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.15–3.64) were each associated with higher unadjusted odds of death; patients who died were on average 15.8 years older (p < 0.0001). Overall, 936 of 1018 prescriptions (91.9%) were appropriate; rates ranged from 99.4% (311/313) for enoxaparin to 42.9% (6/14) for hydroxychloroquine, the latter based on a small number of prescriptions. Inappropriate prescriptions were flagged mainly in the duration (82.9%) and indication (70.7%) domains, and receipt of at least one inappropriate prescription was not associated with mortality (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.31–1.12; p = 0.10). Conclusions: Anticoagulants and corticosteroids were largely prescribed in line with contemporaneous MOH guidance; several repurposed agents were not. These findings support an MAI-based audit against the guideline version in force as a tool for quality control. Full article

Hmong people fleeing Southeast Asia at the end of the Vietnam War carried with them their knowledge of medicinal plants and healing practices. As the refugees resettled into a global diaspora, this knowledge crossed geopolitical, linguistic, and cultural borders, transforming in each new context where it was practiced. These traditions reinforced the health sovereignty of diasporic Hmong communities while helping them navigate the traumas of war and displacement. Over time, the circulation of plants and knowledge through transnational family networks has helped Hmong herbalism emerge as a global phenomenon. The internet and social media have facilitated knowledge exchange, enabling both the transmission of traditions and the adoption and diffusion of new practices and remedies. The dynamism of healing traditions was showcased during the COVID-19 pandemic, as communities acquired new plants and repurposed existing practices to deal with a novel health threat. The currents of change and conservation in medical practices reflect contrasting aspects of the ongoing process of formulating a transnational Hmong identity. Drawing on fieldwork in the U.S., France, French Guiana, and Thailand, I explore the transformations of Hmong healthcare practices as they have become globalized traditions and analyze their links with community resilience and identity. Full article

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is one of the most lethal biological substances to humans, which inhibits acetylcholine release by the presynaptic nerve in neuromuscular junctions. Of the existing BoNT serotypes, BoNT serotype A (BoNT/A) is particularly potent, making it the primary focus in neurotoxin research. Its catalytic domain exhibits similar structural features and zinc-dependent activity as thermolysin, a key bacterial enzyme, which provides a foundation for designing antibacterial agents targeting related protease mechanisms. Repurposing of preapproved drugs or existing medications has recently proven an effective strategy to accelerate drug discovery. Accordingly, we employed drug-likeness screening, quantitative estimation of drug-likeness (QED), and molecular docking to screen about 9000 ligands from the FDA-preapproved drug library using the known crystal structures of the toxin’s light chain, and we identified potential inhibitors with the highest binding affinity. We further refined our selection using molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the stability of the receptor–ligand complexes. The binding mode analysis and binding free energies of the receptor–ligand complexes provide crucial information about the mechanism of action of our top-ranked potential inhibitors. Notably, 16 ligands exhibit a binding affinity greater (in magnitude) than that of the hydroxamate inhibitors that are co-crystallized in the X-ray structure. Most of these ligands contain fluorine, carboxylic and phosphate moieties as key functional groups that enhance their interactions with key residues of the BoNT active site. Our results suggest that dinoprost and 15 other clinically investigated ligands may serve as candidate scaffolds for further evaluation as potential BoNT/A LC inhibitors, pending experimental validation. Full article

Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality. The effectiveness of treatment is limited by several factors, including significant tumoral heterogeneity, rapid development of drug resistance, high metastatic potential, and a complex tumor microenvironment. In recent years, natural products have emerged as valuable resources for the discovery of novel antitumor strategies against non-small cell lung cancer. These compounds possess diverse chemical properties, target multiple pathways, are abundant in nature, and exhibit relatively low toxicity. The utilization of existing medications with established pharmacokinetic profiles and safety records, combined with shorter development timelines, shows promise for advancing lung cancer treatment research. A growing body of evidence indicates that both naturally occurring compounds and commercially available drugs exert effects that extend beyond traditional cytotoxic mechanisms. These agents influence processes such as ferroptosis, oxidative stress, metabolic reprogramming, autophagy, apoptosis, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), tumor immune microenvironments, and epigenetic networks, suggesting that their activities can be leveraged for a robust multi-target antitumor strategy. Accordingly, this review summarizes research advances on natural products and repurposed marketed drugs for non-small cell lung cancer; outlines their potential for combination with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy; and discusses future directions for clinical translation. Full article

Drug repurposing in parasitology gives existing medications new applications, such as using antibiotics for malaria, antimalarials for worms, and antifungals/cancer drugs for protozoa. This strategy saves time and money by passing early-stage safety testing for established human compounds. Although advances in genomics and proteomics have greatly expanded our understanding of parasite biology and facilitated the identification of potential therapeutic targets, they have translated into relatively few new antiparasitic drugs. This limitation highlights the need for alternative strategies such as drug repurposing. The basic biology of the host–parasite interface has not been thoroughly investigated despite its importance. The multifaceted immune–endocrine interplay may also help clarify the frequently inconsistent observations associated with host age and sex during infections, while providing insights that extend beyond current parasite management approaches. This review summarizes the potential uses and applications of old drugs as antiparasites, including, for example, the use of hormone agonists and antagonists and hormone analogues, while also discussing other drugs that have been isolated from natural products that are not used in the field. Full article

Background: Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) significantly impacts the quality of life of millions of patients worldwide, the high costs of developing new drugs and conducting clinical trials for CVD hinder therapeutic development in this field. Repurposing approved drugs, of which the safety has already been tested can significantly reduce the time and cost required for treating CVD. From the perspective of pharmacology, repurposed drugs are selected to specifically target CVD patients carrying the matching drug targets, enabling tailored, personalized intervention. In the context of drug repurposing, therapeutic target mapping is a process used to assess the enrichment of molecules that can be affected by a drug in order to produce a therapeutic effect. Methods: This narrative review summarizes the workflows and challenges of performing therapeutic target mapping to assess the potential of repurposing existing drugs for treating CVD. We also share our perspective of how retrospective studies of human specimens can contribute to therapeutic target mapping based on experience from the Bruce McManus Cardiovascular Biobank (BMCB), a large explanted heart biobank located in Vancouver, Canada. The literature we discuss was identified by non-systematic searches of PubMed, using search terms “human-derived specimens”, “drug repurposing”, and “cardiovascular disease”. We reviewed articles from 2012 to 2026 and prioritized studies conducted after 2019 to discuss recent advances in the field. Conclusions: Human specimens of high molecular quality are needed for evaluating the enrichment of drug targets in CVD. Therapeutic target mapping in diseased cardiovascular tissue requires integrated expertise from medical, translational, and applied sciences to identify suitable human specimens for molecular phenotyping, and to design hypothesis-driven approaches to validate the drugs suggested for repurposing. Full article

Cancer is a leading health issue worldwide, affecting approximately 20 million people annually. Developing efficient chemotherapy agents for cancer treatment is a challenging, costly, and time-consuming process. Drug repurposing for cancer treatment provides an optimal alternative, as the pharmacokinetic properties and the safety of these drugs have been previously tested. It also offers a faster and more cost-effective path to novel cancer therapies, which is especially valuable when conventional treatments face resistance or toxicity limitations. Antipsychotic drugs, which are primarily used for treating psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, have recently been investigated for their potential anticancer effects through drug repurposing strategies. While covering preliminary data and providing an overview of their mechanisms of action, this review highlights the latest research on antipsychotic medications’ emerging potential in oncology in experimental models, emphasizing their observed anticancer effects in preclinical studies, safety profile and capacity to enhance the effectiveness of conventional therapies. Despite growing interest, a research gap remains in translating these findings to clinical oncology, an issue this review addresses by proposing future investigative directions. Full article

Introduction: Previous research has suggested thiazolidinediones (TZDs) may be associated with certain solid tumors. We examined incidence rates over time for patients with solid tumors who received TZD treatment for diabetes. Methods: We identified medication use and diagnosis codes that were aggregated to phecode disease classifications derived from the nationwide Veterans Administration Health Record System from 2000 to 2021. We identified 148,139 patients who had ≥2 diabetes diagnoses and had no previous cancer diagnosis. Among these, 8981 subjects had ≥4 years of TZD exposure. We then identified subjects with ≥2 diagnosis codes for solid tumors including bladder (n = 3987), breast (n = 632), colorectal (n = 5139), esophageal (n = 482), glioma (n = 591), lung (n = 5142), melanoma (n = 1896), pancreatic (n = 726), prostate (n = 11,884), renal (n = 3145), testicular (n = 369), and thyroid (n = 513). We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regressions to measure associations between TZD use and cancer incidence. TZD use was modeled as a time-varying covariate from the first to last prescription of TZD medication, and analyses were adjusted for age at diabetes diagnosis, self-reported race, self-reported ethnicity, sex, body mass index, and cancer site-specific polygenic risk scores. Results: Long-term (≥4 years) exposure to TZDs was significantly associated with increased risk of developing prostate cancer (HR = 1.24, p < 0.001) and decreased risk of developing lung (HR = 0.58, p < 0.001), bladder (HR = 0.51, p < 0.001), and renal cancer (HR = 0.75, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Decreased risk of developing several solid tumors (lung, bladder, and renal) indicate that TZDs may be strong candidates for drug repurposing strategies to manage these types of cancer. These results warrant replication attempts in external datasets. Full article

Background: Small animal models are essential for atrial fibrillation (AF) research. Researchers in AF use an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography and invasive electrophysiology study (EPS) to assess atrial structural and electrical remodeling. In relatively smaller cardiac structures and rapid heart rates, the examination can be challenging without special tools designed for animal study. Moreover, conventional invasive EPSs often cause significant trauma, alter autonomic tone, and limit longitudinal evaluations. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of repurposing hospital-grade medical devices for the non-invasive, multi-modality assessment of atrial myopathy in a rat model of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: A total of 12 male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent the multi-modality assessment. Structural remodeling was evaluated using hospital-grade echocardiography (8–12 MHz) to measure left atrial (LA) dimensions and volume. Surface ECG was used to determine P-wave duration. Electrical remodeling and AF inducibility were assessed using transesophageal pacing (TEP)-based EPS, evaluating the atrial effective refractory period (AERP), sinus node recovery time (SNRT), and response to rapid atrial burst pacing. Results: The protocols showed high procedural safety (survival rate 91.67%) and successfully characterized atrial myopathy. Surface ECG showed marked intra-atrial conduction delay with prolonged P-wave duration in the MetS group (30.17 ± 4.62 vs. 22.33 ± 1.86 ms, p < 0.05). Echocardiography revealed signs of structural remodeling in the MetS group, evidenced by marked prolonged Isovolumic Relaxation Time (IVRT: 35.602 ± 3.043 vs. 19.187 ± 3.631 ms; p < 0.001) and increased Left Atrial Area (0.223 ± 0.0556 vs. 0.134 ± 0.033; p = 0.007). Furthermore, TEP-based EPS quantified electrical remodeling. The MetS group had shorter AERP (73.33 ± 10.33 ms vs. 120.00 ± 34.06 ms; p = 0.010) and Corrected SNRT (100.67 ± 53.98 ms) versus controls (208.33 ± 76.97 ms; p = 0.018). The MetS group exhibited a higher absolute AF inducibility rate (50%, three out of six rats) compared to the SH group (33.3%, two out of six rats). Conclusions: The integration of surface ECG, echocardiography, and TEP-based EPS provides a safe, highly reproducible, and comprehensive method for evaluating both structural and electrical components of atrial myopathy in small animal models, allowing for robust longitudinal studies. Full article

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) comprises a group of rare inherited genodermatoses characterized by fragility and blistering of the skin and mucous membranes, chronic wounding, and significant morbidity including increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma in severe subtypes. Key unmet priorities include reducing diagnostic latency, establishing objective wound monitoring, enabling early detection of malignant transformation within chronic ulcerations, and developing therapies that durably modify disease progression. Artificial intelligence (AI) encompassing machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) is increasingly integrated into EB research and clinical practice to address these unmet needs. This structured narrative review synthesises current evidence on AI applications in EB spanning genetic diagnostics, wound assessment, inflammatory endotyping, drug repurposing, and emerging therapeutic technologies, and integrates evidence from registered clinical trials. In genomics, DL-based splicing prediction models and variant prioritisation frameworks accelerate pathogenic variant detection and reduce diagnostic latency. In wound care, convolutional neural networks-based platforms enable automated lesion segmentation and remote monitoring, while multimodal AI models predict healing trajectories and support stratification of wounds by chronicity. Computational transcriptomic analyses have identified candidate repurposing agents by reversing pathogenic gene expression signatures in EB tissue. Emerging convergence of AI with biosensors-integrated wound dressings and three-dimensional bioprinting of genetically corrected skin substitutes represents a transformative future direction. Translational barriers include limited EB-specific training datasets, algorithmic bias across diverse skin phototypes, the interpretability deficit of DL systems, and evolving regulatory frameworks for AI as a medical device. Expansion of internationally interoperable EB disease registries with standardised wound imaging protocols is identified as the single most impactful intervention to accelerate AI adoption. A minimum endpoint set for AI-assisted EB wound assessment, incorporating wound area trajectory, wound type classification, tissue composition, and paired patient-reported pain and itch scores, is proposed to standardise outcome reporting across future studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a growing therapeutic challenge, and the identification of novel treatment strategies remains an unmet clinical need. Drug repurposing offers a pragmatic and cost-effective alternative to de novo drug development. This study aimed to identify candidate drugs for repurposing in IBD through inverse signal detection within a large spontaneous pharmacovigilance database. Methods: In this observational, retrospective pharmacovigilance study, data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) were analyzed using OpenVigil 2.1. Drugs inversely associated with IBD were identified based on a ROR < 1 and an adjusted p-value < 0.05. Candidates were subsequently filtered to exclude agents with implausible indications, unfavorable pharmacokinetic profiles, or recognized contraindications to use in IBD. Although this screening process yielded a broader set of repurposing candidates across multiple drug classes, the present study focused specifically on antidiabetic medications, which were subjected to a targeted literature review evaluating their immunomodulatory properties, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and existing preclinical and clinical evidence in the context of IBD. Results: Of 3585 initial drug–event combinations evaluated, 73 candidates met predefined criteria for statistical significance, pharmacokinetic feasibility, and clinical relevance. Within this broader pool, ten antidiabetic agents which demonstrated meaningful inverse signal strength were selected for in-depth analysis: dulaglutide (ROR 0.181, 95% CI 0.136–0.242), insulin lispro (ROR 0.206, 95% CI 0.161–0.263), insulin glargine (ROR 0.246, 95% CI 0.205–0.295), insulin (ROR 0.340, 95% CI 0.295–0.390), insulin aspart (ROR 0.349, 95% CI 0.267–0.455), empagliflozin (ROR 0.400, 95% CI 0.311–0.514), liraglutide (ROR 0.419, 95% CI 0.319–0.552), metformin (ROR 0.446, 95% CI 0.407–0.489), sitagliptin (ROR 0.460, 95% CI 0.376–0.563), and semaglutide (ROR 0.622, 95% CI 0.507–0.764). The subsequent literature review discussed relevant immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties for each of these agents, providing a mechanistic rationale for their potential therapeutic role in IBD. Conclusions: This study identifies antidiabetic drugs as plausible repurposing candidates for IBD, supported by both pharmacovigilance-derived inverse signals and a body of mechanistic and clinical literature suggesting shared pathophysiological pathways between the two conditions. However, it should be acknowledged that the clinical evidence supporting the therapeutic efficacy of several candidates remains variable or incomplete, and robust interventional data are largely lacking. Ultimately, the findings of this study generate testable hypotheses and highlight a set of candidate therapies that warrant dedicated experimental and clinical investigation, including well-designed prospective trials, to determine their true therapeutic potential in IBD management. Full article

This study analyses the pharmacological profiles of medications administered to critically ill COVID-19 patients to evaluate their efficacy regarding recovery rates and duration of hospitalization. The results demonstrate a significant difference in clinical outcomes. While the administration of Ceftazidime, Ceftriaxone, and Oseltamivir was associated with negative survival trends, Dexamethasone and Favipiravir were associated with a fourfold higher probability of survival in severe cases. Notably, no pharmacological intervention significantly reduced the length of hospital stay; instead, recovery duration was primarily influenced by comorbidities such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Furthermore, age and preexisting physiological conditions remained primary predictors of mortality. Observational analysis in our study for drug repurposing identified Amikacin, Remdesivir, and Rivaroxaban as potential therapeutic candidates. However, Dexamethasone was identified as the most effective treatment for recovery, likely due to a molecular structure with high potential binding affinity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These findings suggest that while specific repurposed drugs offer measurable benefits, patient history remains a critical determinant of outcomes, highlighting the necessity for further research to refine therapies against emerging viral pathogens. Full article

Background: The rapid emergence of immune-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants necessitates the identification of accessible, low-cost prophylactic strategies. While drug repurposing offers a time-efficient alternative to novel drug development, clinical evidence for existing medications in the general population remains limited. The PharmLines Initiative provided us with unique data linkage for this study to assess the associations between 42 candidate drugs and COVID-19 infection. Potential effect modification by dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain and COVID-19 vaccination status was addressed. Methods: We conducted a test-negative case–control study using data from the Lifelines cohort and University of Groningen IADB.nl dispensing database. Cases were adults with self-reported reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results for SARS-CoV-2 and controls had only negative results. Cases and controls were matched in age, sex, and testing date. The 42 candidate drugs were identified through a systematic review of prior publications. The primary outcome was SARS-CoV-2 infection. We applied multivariable conditional logistic regression to estimate the associations, with subgroup analyses for variant and vaccination effects. Significance levels were corrected for multiple testing. Results: From November 2020 to October 2022, we included 2019 test-positive cases and 4089 matched test-negative controls with a mean age of 57 years and 67% female. After adjustments for confounders, none of the studied drugs were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. When stratified by SARS-CoV-2 variants, chronic use of calcium channel blockers (adjusted odds ratio 2.13; 95% CI 1.45–3.13), diuretics (2.23; 95% CI 1.50–3.32), and metformin (4.31; 95% CI 1.91–9.69) were associated with increased risks of original strain SARS-CoV-2 infection. No significant associations were found in the vaccination status subgroup analysis. Conclusions: Despite limited statistical power for some drugs, none of the studied drugs showed protective associations against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antihypertensives and metformin were associated with increased risk. These findings do not support the off-label use of these drugs as COVID-19 prophylaxis in the general population. Full article

Background: Aspirin, initially recognized for its anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic properties, holds a prominent role in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The utility of aspirin in cancer therapeutics has been explored and stratified into COX-dependent and -independent mechanisms. COX2 gene expression has been demonstrated to be significantly upregulated in colorectal cancer and various other gastrointestinal malignancies including pancreatic, esophageal, and gastric cancer. This study investigates the relationship of aspirin use and outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2017 to 2022 was analyzed for patients age > 18 who were hospitalized for colorectal cancer and its decompensations using ICD-10 diagnostic codes. These patients were further stratified based on the long-term use of aspirin. The principal outcome of this investigation are the odds of in-hospital mortality, with secondary outcomes including odds of pulmonary embolism, portal vein thrombosis, acute kidney injury, septic shock, requiring an ICU level of care and odds of hepatic, pulmonary, gastrointestinal and peritoneal or retroperitoneal metastatic disease. Multivariate logistic regression accounting for hospital and patient characteristics was implemented for analysis, with the Charlson Comorbidity Index used to adjust for coexisting comorbidity burden; a p-value (p) of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In our analysis of the NIS, 596,160 patients were identified with colorectal cancer and 11.7% (69,750) of this population were identified with long-term use of aspirin. Aspirin use was identified to have a significantly reduced odds of in-patient mortality (adjusted odds ratio) [aOR] 0.530, p value < 0.001 95% CI (confidence interval): 0.460–0.617. Patients with aspirin use also demonstrated significantly reduced odds of adverse outcomes and gastrointestinal, hepatic, pulmonary and retroperitoneal/peritoneal metastasis; (aOR 0.606, 95% CI: 0.564–0.653, p < 0.001), (aOR 0.628, 95% CI: 0.582–0.678, p < 0.001), (aOR 0.676, 95% CI: 0.605–0.755, p < 0.001) and (aOR 0.751, 95% CI: 0.685–0.825, p < 0.001) respectively. Conclusions: In recent years, there has been an alarming increase in incidence of colorectal cancer, particularly amongst younger individuals with increased associated mortality. This mortality increase, albeit alarming, is a driving force for treatment innovation with continual examination of our repertoire of medications for possible repurposed applications. COX2-mediated signaling serves as a key promotor of tumorigenic molecular signaling that directly contributes to tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis in colorectal cancer. Aspirin use and its inhibitory action on COX2 demonstrated a significantly reduced odds of in-hospital mortality. Aspirin use is also associated with significantly reduced odds of developing metastatic disease to the liver, gastrointestinal system, lungs and peritoneum in patients with colorectal cancer. These findings convey that aspirin use reduces the likelihood of in-hospital mortality, major comorbid conditions and of developing metastatic disease as compared to those who do not use aspirin. Full article