Combined use of aspirin, statins, metformin tied to lower lung cancer risk and mortality
FRIDAY, Oct. 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Use of aspirin, metformin, and statins is associated with a lower risk for lung cancer mortality, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.
Jihun Kang, M.D., from Kosin University Gospel Hospital in South Korea, and colleagues used data from 732,199 individuals who had undergone a national health check-up in 2002 to 2003. Lung cancer incidence and mortality were identified, and associations with common medications (aspirin, metformin, and statins) were assessed.
The researchers found that metformin use had a protective association with lung cancer incidence and mortality in a dose-response fashion. These associations were prominent among participants with a cumulative defined daily dose of metformin ≥547.5 (per two-year period) versus patients without diabetes. Lung cancer mortality was similarly lower in a dose-dependent fashion with the use of aspirin and statins. Combined use of the three medications showed more prominent protective associations for both lung cancer risk and mortality.
“Further research is necessary to develop clinically applicable anticancer strategies of these cardiovascular drugs for the reduction of lung cancer and related mortality,” the authors write.
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