Abstract
Purpose
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) has been reported to protect against certain cancers. However, patient-related risk factors may moderate protective effects, including excess weight, smoking, risky alcohol use, and diabetes. We explore the cancer-risk relationship between aspirin intake and those four factors.
Methods
Retrospective cohort study of cancers, aspirin intake, and four risk factors in persons aged ≥50 years. Participants received medication during 2007–2016, and cancers were diagnosed in 2012–2016. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated for aspirin intake and risk factors using Cox proportional hazard modeling.
Results
Of 118,548 participants, 15,793 consumed aspirin, and 4003 had cancer. Results indicated a significant protective effect of aspirin against colorectal (aHR: 0.7; 95%CI: 0.6–0.8), pancreatic (aHR: 0.5; 95%CI: 0.2–0.9), prostate (aHR: 0.6; 95%CI: 0.5–0.7) cancers and lymphomas (aHR: 0.5; 95%CI: 0.2–0.9), and also, although not significantly, against esophageal (aHR: 0.5; 95%CI: 0.2–1.8), stomach (aHR: 0.7; 95%CI: 0.4–1.3), liver (aHR: 0.7; 95%CI: 0.3–1.5), breast (aHR: 0.8; 95%CI: 0.6–1.0), and lung and bronchial (aHR: 0.9; 95%CI: 0.7–1.2) cancers. Aspirin intake was not significantly protective against leukemia (aHR: 1.0; 95%CI: 0.7–1.4) or bladder cancer (aHR: 1.0; 95%CI: 0.8–1.3).
Conclusions
Our results suggest that aspirin intake is associated with a reduced incidence of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancers and lymphomas.
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) has been reported to protect against certain cancers. However, patient-related risk factors may moderate protective effects, including excess weight, smoking, risky alcohol use, and diabetes. We explore the cancer-risk relationship between aspirin intake and those four factors.
Methods
Retrospective cohort study of cancers, aspirin intake, and four risk factors in persons aged ≥50 years. Participants received medication during 2007–2016, and cancers were diagnosed in 2012–2016. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated for aspirin intake and risk factors using Cox proportional hazard modeling.
Results
Of 118,548 participants, 15,793 consumed aspirin, and 4003 had cancer. Results indicated a significant protective effect of aspirin against colorectal (aHR: 0.7; 95%CI: 0.6–0.8), pancreatic (aHR: 0.5; 95%CI: 0.2–0.9), prostate (aHR: 0.6; 95%CI: 0.5–0.7) cancers and lymphomas (aHR: 0.5; 95%CI: 0.2–0.9), and also, although not significantly, against esophageal (aHR: 0.5; 95%CI: 0.2–1.8), stomach (aHR: 0.7; 95%CI: 0.4–1.3), liver (aHR: 0.7; 95%CI: 0.3–1.5), breast (aHR: 0.8; 95%CI: 0.6–1.0), and lung and bronchial (aHR: 0.9; 95%CI: 0.7–1.2) cancers. Aspirin intake was not significantly protective against leukemia (aHR: 1.0; 95%CI: 0.7–1.4) or bladder cancer (aHR: 1.0; 95%CI: 0.8–1.3).
Conclusions
Our results suggest that aspirin intake is associated with a reduced incidence of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancers and lymphomas.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 60-66 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Annals of Epidemiology |
| Volume | 84 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2023 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Keywords
- Acetylsalicylic acid
- Aspirin
- Cancer
- Comorbidity
- Lifestyle
- Retrospective cohort study
- Risk factor
