No evidence for a decreased risk of thyroid cancer in association with use of metformin or other antidiabetic drugs: a case-control study

BMC Cancer

Research Article

Claudia Becker¹  Michael Bodmer¹  Christoph R. Meier²  Susan S. Jick³ 

[1] Basel Pharmacoepidemiology Unit, Division of Clinical Pharmacy and Epidemiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 27, 4031, Basel, Switzerland;Basel Pharmacoepidemiology Unit, Division of Clinical Pharmacy and Epidemiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 27, 4031, Basel, Switzerland;Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, Boston University School of Public Health, Lexington, MA, USA;Hospital Pharmacy, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland;Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, Boston University School of Public Health, Lexington, MA, USA;

关键词: Antidiabetic drugs;    Thyroid cancer;    Metformin;    Case-control study;    Epidemiology;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12885-015-1719-6

 received in 2014-11-10, accepted in 2015-10-08,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundUse of metformin has been associated with a decreased cancer risk. We aimed to explore whether use of metformin or other antidiabetic drugs is associated with a decreased risk for thyroid cancer.MethodsWe conducted a case-control analysis (1995 to 2014) using the U.K.-based Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). Cases had a first-time diagnosis of thyroid cancer, six controls per case were matched on age, sex, calendar time, general practice, and number of years of active history in the database prior to the index date. We assessed odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI), adjusted for body mass index (BMI), smoking, and diabetes mellitus.ResultsIn 1229 cases and 7374 matched controls, the risk of thyroid cancer associated with ever use of metformin yielded an adjusted OR of 1.48, 95 % CI 0.86–2.54. The relative risk estimate was highest in long-term (≥30 prescriptions) users of metformin (adjusted OR 1.83, 95 % CI 0.92–3.65), based on a limited number of 26 exposed cases. No such association was found in users of sulfonylurea, insulin, or thiazolidinediones (TZD). Neither a diabetes diagnosis (adjusted OR 1.17, 95 % CI 0.89–1.54), nor diabetes duration >8 years (adjusted OR 1.22, 95 % CI 0.60–2.51) altered the risk of thyroid cancer.ConclusionIn our observational study with limited statistical power, neither use of metformin nor of other antidiabetic drugs were associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Becker et al. 2015