NSAIDs and statins increase the risk of renal cell carcinoma

This study was presented at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting; May 19-23, 2012; Atlanta, GA. Abstract 575.

Study title and authors:
NSAID and statin use and risk of renal cell carcinoma.
Chéry L, Wright J, Hotaling J,

This study can be accessed at: http://www.onclive.com/publications/urologists-in-cancer-care/2012/June-2012/NSAIDs-and-Statins-Have-No-Impact-on-Renal-Cell-Carcinoma-Risk

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs are the most prescribed medications for treating conditions such as arthritis. Examples of NSAIDs are aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and Nabumetone.

Chery notes that renal cell carcinoma, the most common type of kidney cancer, is the sixth most common cancer in men and the eighth most common cancer in women.

This study set out to determine the effect of NSAIDs and statins on the risk of renal cell carcinoma.  The study included 77,048 individuals aged 50 to 76 years

The study found:
(a) Those with a low use of NSAIDs (1-3 days/week or less than four years) had a 1% increased risk of developing renal cell carcinoma compared to nonusers of NSAIDs.
(b) Those with a high use of NSAIDs (more than four days/week and over four years) had a 20% increased risk of developing renal cell carcinoma compared to nonusers of NSAIDs.
(c) Those who were taking statins had a 10% increased risk of developing renal cell carcinoma.

The data from the study reveals that NSAIDs and statins increase the risk of renal cell carcinoma.

Aspirin use is associated with a significantly increased risk of pancreatic cancer

This study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2004 Jan 7;96(1):22-8

Study title and authors:

A prospective study of aspirin use and the risk of pancreatic cancer in women.

Schernhammer ES, Kang JH, Chan AT, Michaud DS, Skinner HG, Giovannucci E, Colditz GA, Fuchs CS.

Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. eva.schernhammer@channing.harvard.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14709735

The study examined the relationship between aspirin use and the development of pancreatic cancer. The study included 88,378 women over a 18 year period.

The study found:
(a) Women who took 2 or more standard aspirin tablets per week had a 20% increased risk of pancreatic cancer compared to women who took fewer than 2 aspirins per week.
(b) Compared to women that have never had aspirin;
(i) women who had 1-3 tablets a week had an 11% increase in pancreatic cancer
(ii) women who had 4-6 tablets a week had an 29% increase in pancreatic cancer
(iii) women who had 7-13 tablets a week had an 41% increase in pancreatic cancer
(iv) women who had over 14 tablets a week had an 86% increase in pancreatic cancer
(c) Women who reported more than 20 years of regular aspirin use had a 58% increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

The study shows that regular aspirin use is associated with a significantly increased risk of pancreatic cancer among women.

Links to other studies:
Does aspirin increase the risk of heart disease and stroke?
Ibuprofen increases the risk of breast cancer by 51%
Statins increase the risk of colon adenomas by 54%

Ibuprofen increases the risk of breast cancer by 51%

This study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2005 Jun 1;97(11):805-12

Study title and authors:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and breast cancer risk by stage and hormone receptor status.

Marshall SF, Bernstein L, Anton-Culver H, Deapen D, Horn-Ross PL, Mohrenweiser H, Peel D, Pinder R, Purdie DM, Reynolds P, Stram D, West D, Wright WE, Ziogas A, Ross RK.

Department of Preventive Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. smarshal@usc.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15928301

The study analyzed data on 114,460 women aged 22 to 85 years to investigate the relationship between breast cancer and aspirin and ibuprofen use.

The study found:

• Women who used aspirin between 1 and 6 days a week had a 9% increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who rarely used aspirin.
• Women who used aspirin between 1 and 6 days a week in a period of over 5 years had a 12% increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who rarely used aspirin.
• Women who took ibuprofen daily had a 24% increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who rarely used ibuprofen.
• Women who took ibuprofen daily in a period of over 5 years had a 51% increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who rarely used ibuprofen.

This study shows that aspirin and ibuprofen use increase the incidence of breast cancer.

Statins increase the risk of colon adenomas by 54%

This study was published in the Journal of gastrointestinal cancer 2011 Sep 6

Study title and authors:

Association of Type 2 Diabetes and Colon Adenomas.

Eddi R, Karki A, Shah A, Debari VA, Depasquale JR.

Division of Gastroenterology, Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences, South Orange, NJ, USA, rodney_eddi@yahoo.com.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21894459

An adenoma is a benign tumor (-oma) of glandular origin. Adenomas can grow from many organs including the colon, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, thyroid, prostate, etc. Although these growths are benign, over time they may progress to become malignant, at which point they are called adenocarcinomas. Even while benign, they have the potential to cause serious health complications by compressing other structures (mass effect) and by producing large amounts of hormones in an unregulated, non-feedback-dependent manner (paraneoplastic syndrome).

The thiazolidinediones also known as glitazones, are a class of medications used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

This study, which lasted 3 years, of 783 people (of which 261 had adenomas) sought to determine (i) the association between type 2 diabetes and colon adenomas and (ii) factors that increase the risk of adenomas.

The study found;
(i) Those who had diabetes had a 45% increased risk of developing colon adenomas.
(ii) Factors that increased the risk of adenomas included:
(a) Exposure to insulin increased the risk of adenoma by 73%.
(b) Exposure to thiazolidinediones increased the risk of adenoma by 183%.
(c) Exposure to smoking increased the risk of adenoma by 47%.
(d) Use of aspirin increased the risk of adenoma by 59%.
(e) Use of statins increased the risk of adenoma by 54%.

To conclude: This study shows a significant association between type 2 diabetes and colon adenomas. Colon adenomas are shown to be associated with smoking and various pharmaceutical drugs such as statins, aspirin and thiazolidinediones. Colon adenomas have the potential to cause serious health complications including progressing to become cancerous.