NSAID Use and Colorectal Cancer Survival in Women
Author Information
Author(s): Coghill A E, Newcomb P A, Chia V M, Zheng Y, Wernli K J, Passarelli M N, Potter J D
Primary Institution: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Hypothesis
Is pre-diagnostic NSAID use associated with improved colorectal cancer survival in women?
Conclusion
Pre-diagnostic NSAID use may improve colorectal cancer survival among women with proximal tumors, while hormone therapy does not appear to affect survival.
Supporting Evidence
- Women who used NSAIDs before diagnosis had a 55% lower risk of dying from colorectal cancer if they had proximal tumors.
- Pre-diagnostic hormone therapy use showed no significant association with colorectal cancer survival.
- The study included 1173 women diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1997 and 2002.
Takeaway
Taking certain pain relievers before being diagnosed with colon cancer might help women live longer, especially if their cancer is in the upper part of the colon.
Methodology
The study used Cox proportional hazards regression to analyze the association between pre-diagnostic NSAID and hormone therapy use and colorectal cancer survival.
Potential Biases
Potential recall bias in reporting medication use after diagnosis.
Limitations
The study relied on pre-diagnostic information for NSAIDs and hormone therapy, which may not reflect post-diagnosis use.
Participant Demographics
Caucasian women aged 50-74 diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.03
Confidence Interval
0.32–0.92
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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