Using Medicare Claims to Examine Long-term Prostate Cancer Risk of Finasteride in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Investigators have used administrative claims to better understand cancer outcomes when a research question cannot feasibly be examined within a study. The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) showed that seven years of finasteride reduced prostate cancer (PC) risk by 25% in men age 55 years or older. However, it was unclear whether the observed reduction in PC for finasteride participants would be maintained after finasteride discontinuation.

Methods

We examined PC diagnoses identified by PCPT study records and Medicare claims (finasteride = 9423, placebo = 9457). A Medicare-defined PC diagnosis algorithm was defined using diagnosis and procedure codes. Multivariable Cox regression was used to examine time to PC within prespecified follow-up windows (<6.5, 6.5

SUBMITTER: Unger JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6235685 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature