Distinct effects of anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic drugs on cancer characteristics at diagnosis. Issue 6 (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pawitan, Yudi; Yin, Li; Setiawan, Andrea; Auer, Gert; Smedby, Karin E.; Czene, Kamila
• Is Part Of: European journal of cancer. Volume 51:Issue 6(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 751
• Page End: 757
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: Cancer -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Périodiques; Cancer; Tumors; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2015.02.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-8049

Abstract

<abstract xml:lang="en" abstract-type="author" id="ab005"> <title id="st065">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="st070">Background</title> <p id="sp0005">A previous study showed that regular use of low-dose aspirin was associated with smaller tumour size and fewer metastases for colorectal and lung cancer. We aim to explain these distinct effects in terms of the anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic properties of aspirin.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st075">Methods</title> <p id="sp0010">From the Swedish Cancer Register, we identified patients diagnosed with colorectal and lung cancers between 1st October 2006 and 31st December 2009; each cancer was assessed in terms of tumour size/extent (T), lymph-node (N) and metastatic (M) status. Linkage with the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register was performed to obtain information on the use of low-dose aspirin, anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic drugs prior to cancer diagnosis.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st080">Results</title> <p id="sp0015">We identified 14, 743 individuals with colorectal cancer and 5888 with lung cancer. For low-dose aspirin users we observed a statistically significant association with smaller tumour size and fewer metastases. For both cancers, the use of non-aspirin anti-inflammatory drugs was associated with smaller tumour size in all categories T2–T4 odds ratio (OR = 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63–0.92 for T2 versus T1 in colorectal cancer), but not with metastatic status (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.84–1.06 in colorectal cancer). In contrast, anti-thrombotic drug use was associated with fewer metastases, but not with tumour categories T2 and T3.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st085">Conclusions</title> <p id="sp0020">The results suggest that the use of anti-inflammatories is associated with tumour-growth inhibition at the primary site, while the use of anti-thrombotics is associated with restriction of cancer-cell metastasising capability. These have clinical implications on the potential use of these drugs for chemoprevention or chemotherapy.</p> </sec> </abstract>