Regular aspirin use significantly lowers the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, a study has found.

Research funded by PLANETS Cancer Charity and carried out by University Hospital Southampton and the University of Southampton revealed a 40 per cent drop in risk for people with diabetes and a 20 per cent drop for the general population.

The study, which has been published in the journal 'Pancreatology', is the largest of its kind to explore the connection between aspirin and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

The research involved nearly 10,000 participants from the UK Biobank, a cohort of 500,000 individuals aged between 37 and 73, recruited between 2006 and 2010.

Both groups, those with diabetes and the general population, showed a sustained reduced risk of developing pancreatic cancer at two and five years after starting regular aspirin use.

The research aligns with previous studies suggesting aspirin's preventive effects against various cancers.

The findings are considered a "significant" breakthrough in the fight against pancreatic cancer, known for its poor survival rate.

A spokesperson for PLANETS Cancer Charity stated the results could change treatment approaches for what is "one of the worst" cancers due to low survival rates.

"People over 50 who develop new-onset diabetes are 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than the general population.

"Although the reasons for the link are not clearly defined, both are diseases of the pancreas and involve intolerance to sugar."

Dr Zaed Hamady, a consultant hepatobiliary, pancreatic and robotic surgeon at University Hospital Southampton, said: "Pancreatic cancer is rated to be one of the worst cancers and almost everyone affected by pancreatic cancer will die within five years of their diagnosis, with long-term survival limited to those diagnosed with early stage disease suitable for curative surgery.

"We found there is a 20 per cent reduced risk among the general population, which has been demonstrated in the past with other cancers, particularly colon, but can now be replicated in pancreatic cancer."