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Case–control analysis on metformin and cancer of the esophagus

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Abstract

Purpose

Metformin use has been associated with decreased cancer risks, though data on esophageal cancer are scarce. We explored the relation between use of metformin or other anti-diabetic drugs and the risk of esophageal cancer.

Methods

We conducted a case–control analysis in the UK-based general practice research database (GPRD, now clinical practice research datalink, CPRD). Cases were individuals with an incident diagnosis of esophageal cancer between 1994 and 2010 at age 40–89 years. Ten controls per case were matched on age, sex, calendar time, general practice, and number of years of active history in the GPRD prior to the index date. Various potential confounders including diabetes mellitus, gastro-esophageal reflux, and use of proton-pump inhibitors were evaluated in univariate models, and the final results were adjusted for BMI and smoking. Results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Long-term use (≥30 prescriptions) of metformin was not associated with a materially altered risk of esophageal cancer (adj. OR 1.23, 95 % CI 0.92–1.65), nor was long-term use of sulfonylureas (adj. OR 0.93, 95 % CI 0.70–1.23), insulin (adj. OR 0.87, 95 % CI 0.60–1.25), or of thiazolidinediones (adj. OR 0.71, 95 % CI 0.37–1.36).

Conclusion

In our population-based study, use of metformin was not associated with an altered risk of esophageal cancer.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Pascal Egger1 for his technical support and programming. This work was funded by the Swiss Cancer League (Krebsliga Schweiz).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Basel Pharmacoepidemiology Unit, Division of Clinical Pharmacy and Epidemiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Basel University Hospital, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 26, 4031, Basel, Switzerland

    Claudia Becker, Christoph R. Meier & Michael Bodmer

  2. Hospital Pharmacy, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Christoph R. Meier

  3. Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, Boston University School of Public Health, Lexington, MA, USA

    Christoph R. Meier & Susan S. Jick

  4. Division of General Internal Medicine, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland

    Michael Bodmer

Authors
  1. Claudia Becker
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  2. Christoph R. Meier
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  3. Susan S. Jick
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  4. Michael Bodmer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Bodmer.

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Becker, C., Meier, C.R., Jick, S.S. et al. Case–control analysis on metformin and cancer of the esophagus. Cancer Causes Control 24, 1763–1770 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-013-0253-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-013-0253-6

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