Laboratory studies of nonsteroidal ...

Laboratory studies of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory remedys (NSAIDs) have demonstrated some antiproliferative consequences on lung tumor growth, conceit to be caused by inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme Previous observational studies of NSAID use and the incidence of lung cancer have produc conflicting be the effects regarding a possible protective validity with the use of NSAIDs. Muscat and colleagues performed a retrospective case-control analysis to determine the efficiency of NSAID use on the incidence of lung cancer.

The authors identified 1038 patients with lung cancer from a review of pathology data at several large East Coast hospital center restrain patients without cancer were identified from the admission roster of the same hospitals, and were matched for age, form relative to sex and month of interview. rule patients were excluded from the application of mind if they had any clinical indication for regular use of aspirin or other NSAIDs (eg rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis), or if they had any contraindication to use of NSAIDs (eg peptic boil bleeding disorder). Case and rule patients were interviewed by inquiry personnel for recollection of NSAID use, smoking status, and demographic data.

Overall, 21 percent of the have the direction of patients regularly used NSAIDs (i.e., took three or more tablets through week for one or more years). Use of NSAIDs from control patients did not vary significantly by way of gender, age, smoking, or educational status. Among patients with cancer, 17 percent reported regular NSAID consumption. Because smoking is the chief risk factor for lung cancer, the analysis was divided among smoker and those who had not ever smoked. Among smokers, after adjustment for other demographic variables, the risk of lung cancer among regular NSAID users was 32 percent les than that in patients who did not regularly destroy NSAIDs. Comparing the few individuals with lung cancer among those who none smoked (84 of 1,038 patients) with patients in the sway group, no protective effect was originate with regular use of NSAIDs. Among smoker there was no evidence of a dose-response general intent to use of NSAIDs; longer use or higher rates of consumption did not converse more protection against lung cancer.

The authors end that their study identifies a possible protective validity against lung cancer in smoker who regularly use NSAIDs. They acknowledge the limitations of this retrospective inquiry and the lack of any benefit to NSAID use seen in more [i]or[/i] less other large epidemiologic studies of lung cancer.

Bill Zepf MD

Muscat JE et al. Risk of lung carcinoma among users of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medicines Cancer April 1, 2003;97:1732-6.

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians

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