Dataset Information

Digitalis use and risk of gastrointestinal cancers: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Gastrointestinal cancers are characterized by a male predominance, suggesting a role of sex hormones. We hypothesized that digitalis medication, due to its estrogenic properties, decreases the risk of male-predominated gastrointestinal cancers.

Results

Long -term digitalis use (?2 years) was followed by decreased risk for several gastrointestinal cancers, but associations were statistically significant only for liver cancer (hazard ratio [HR]=0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16-0.98). Short-term (<1 year) use was associated with an increased risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (HR=1.79, 95% CI 1.01-3.17), colorectal cancer (HR=1.72, 95% CI 1.57-1.89), gallbladder cancer (HR=1.93, 95% CI 1.04-3.59), and pancreatic cancer (HR=1.33, 95% CI 1.00-1.76), but no such increase was found among long-term users.

Methods

We performed a nationwide population-based cohort study in Sweden. Participants included 156,385 individuals using digitalis and a reference group of 551,933 users of organic nitrates between 2005 and 2013, who were identified in the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. New diagnoses of gastrointestinal cancers were identified from the Swedish Cancer Register. Hazard ratios of gastrointestinal cancers in digitalis users compared to users of organic nitrates were calculated from Cox proportional hazards regression with adjustment for sex, age, municipality of residence and comorbidity.

Conclusions

This study suggests a decreased risk of male-predominated gastrointestinal cancers, particularly of liver cancer, in long-term users of digitalis. Short-term use may be associated with an increased risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gallbladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer.The use of digitalis as preventive or therapeutic agents remains to be fully evaluated.

SUBMITTER: Xie SH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5471006 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Digitalis use and risk of gastrointestinal cancers: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Xie Shao-Hua SH Jernberg Tomas T Mattsson Fredrik F Lagergren Jesper J

Oncotarget 20170501 21

<h4>Background</h4>Gastrointestinal cancers are characterized by a male predominance, suggesting a role of sex hormones. We hypothesized that digitalis medication, due to its estrogenic properties, decreases the risk of male-predominated gastrointestinal cancers.<h4>Results</h4>Long -term digitalis use (≥2 years) was followed by decreased risk for several gastrointestinal cancers, but associations were statistically significant only for liver cancer (hazard ratio [HR]=0.40, 95% confidence interv ...[more]

PMID: 28423729

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Dataset Information

Digitalis use and risk of gastrointestinal cancers: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Background

Results

Methods

Conclusions

Publications

Digitalis use and risk of gastrointestinal cancers: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

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