New research is confirming there are two things you can take every day to help prevent cancer that are not only economical, but also effective: aspirin and vitamin D.

Aspirin gets an A 

Aspirin made headlines recently after the Lancet released a new literature review that looked at data from 51 different randomized trials designed to evaluate aspirin’s ability to prevent heart attacks. The researchers found that the risk of dying of cancer was 15 percent less in people who took aspirin daily, versus non-aspirin users. 

And it gets better. The people who took aspirin for three years had a risk reduction of about 25 percent, and those who took it for five years or more lowered their cancer risk by 37 percent.

The researchers noted that the risk reduction was for solid cancers such as colon, lung, prostate, breast and others, but was not seen with blood cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma. 

This latest finding is consistent with previous research. In 2003, the New England Journal of Medicine also reported that aspirin was protective against colon cancer. That study featured 1,121 people—65 percent of whom were men—with an average age of 57.

The recommended dosage of aspirin is only 81 mg per day and costs about $3 for a one-month supply.

D is darn good too

The scientific literature has featured many studies lately showing that maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is important to preventing many types of cancer. 

According to a December 2011 study described in the American Journal of Epidemiology, high blood levels of vitamin D can lower the risk of colon cancer by 36 percent. In this study, Japanese researchers evaluated 737 people with colon cancer and 703 people without cancer. The researchers found that the higher the vitamin D level, the lower the chance of getting cancer.

Dosage of vitamin D can vary, and many practitioners are now testing vitamin D levels before determining the exact dosage. A 1,000 IU dosage of vitamin D can be purchased for as little as $5 for 200 capsules.