Jul 07, 2015 12:23 PM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

An over-the-counter drug may inhibit the growth of an aggressive and deadly asbestos-related cancer, according to a recent study News Medical reported.

Researchers at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center found that aspirin could slow down the growth of mesothelioma. The aspirin slows down the growth of the cancer by blocking the effects of the inflammatory molecule, High-Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), which is believed to directly promote the growth of the disease.

"HMGB1 is an inflammatory molecule that plays a critical role in the initiation and progression of malignant mesothelioma. Inhibiting HMGB1 dramatically reduced malignant mesothelioma growth in mice and significantly improved survival of treated animals," researcher Dr. Haining Yang said in a statement.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and often deadly cancer that can result from exposure to asbestos and asbestos-like fibers such as erionite. The prolonged presence of exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, Consumer Affairs reported. 

Researchers believe that aspirin, which is mostly used as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which is absorbed by the stomach and upper intestine, contains some unknown anti-tumor elements that prevent HMBG1 activity.

Based on their findings, investigators theorized that people at high risk of developing mesothelioma could take aspirin as a way to prevent or delay the growth of the cancer, and thus increase their chances of survival. Such individuals would include people occupationally exposed to asbestos, or people who live in areas high in naturally occurring asbestos-like fibers.

The findings are detailed in the journal Cell Death & Disease.

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