Relative risk of malignant tumors in analgesic abusers. Effects of long-term intake of aspirin.

BACKGROUND

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) e.g. aspirin, indomethacin are reported in epidemiological and experimental studies to reduce the risk for colo-rectal cancer and potentially other malignant tumors.

METHODS

We examined the effect of NSAIDs on tumor prevalence in abusers of mixed analgesics containing aspirin, phenacetine, caffeine or codein. 618 analgesic abusers who were autopsied between 1968-1983 were compared with a control group without evidence of analgesic abuse matched for sex, age and year autopsy was performed.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Abusers were found to have an overall risk of 0.40 fold of having developed a malignancy as compared with the controls. Excluding patients with urinary tract tumors which are increased in analgesic abusers the risk was further decreased to 0.28. No statistically significant effect was found for patients with prostate cancer. The results encourage prospective control studies in high risk patients.