Asp-PSC – a study for those with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) 

Evaluating aspirin in reducing cancer and improving outcomes for those with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an chronic autoimmune disease of the bile ducts and liver. PSC patients often have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Four out of ten people with both PSC and IBD get cancer of the bile ducts, gallbladder, liver or bowel. There are no screening strategies which reduce hepatobiliary cancers and there is no treatment shown to help slow the rate of PSC or reduce cancer risk. Aspirin may have anti-cancer effects and help reduce the PSC-related cancer risk. The main aims of the study are to investigate if daily low-dose aspirin over a minimum of 5 years reduces cancer risk in PSC and IBD patients. The researchers will also be looking at the safety and tolerability of aspirin and liver transplantation rates. There will be future work conducted on samples and imaging to establish if PSC-related cancers can be detected.

Who can participate? Patients aged 18 years+ and at least 12 months after a diagnosis of PSC-IBD.

For more information on this study, see: pscsupport.org.uk/find-psc-research-studies/asp-psc/

And also: ISRCTN12358813