Experts already know that taking low-dose aspirin can lower your risk of developing colon cancer by about 40 percent. But because aspirin can cause serious side effects, such as internal bleeding, it is not right for everyone. Now a new study has found that patients who have colon cancer may also benefit from taking low-dose aspirin. The study found that patients who started taking low-dose aspirin after their cancer diagnosis were less likely to die of either colon cancer or any other cause than patients who did not take aspirin.

“The results of this study are promising, but you shouldn’t start taking aspirin on your own,” says Evan Naylor, M.D., of Southern Ocean Medical Center. “If you think low-dose aspirin may benefit you, talk with your doctor.”