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

SUBMITTER: Xie SH 

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

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature