Corbin Bernsen, 60, known as the irascible Henry Spencer on the television series "Psych," is a smart guy when it comes to making sure he dodges heart problems that run in his family: He's been taking low-dose aspirin for more than a decade.

But now there's even more good news for folks who, like Corbin, take daily low-dose aspirin: It slashes your risk for cancer!

A new study reports that for people ages 50 to 65, taking 75 to 325 mg of aspirin daily for 5 to 10 years significantly reduces the risk of cancer without causing an unacceptable risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Women saw a 7 percent drop and men a 9 percent drop in the number of cancers.

(The longer aspirin is taken, the greater the benefits; higher doses don't result in additional benefits.)

The official recommendation (for heart health) has been that only folks who were trying to prevent a SECOND heart attack should take a daily dose. But this means taking a daily low-dose aspirin — with a glass of warm water before and after — might be a smart move for everyone.

This study found that eight deaths from cancer and heart disease could be prevented for every death from gastrointestinal bleeding or stroke. So talk to your doc to see if you're a candidate.