TY - JOUR
T1 - Calcium-channel blockade and incidence of cancer in aged populations
AU - Pahor, Marco
AU - Guralnik, Jack M.
AU - Ferrucci, Luigi
AU - Corti, Maria Chiara
AU - Salive, Marcel E.
AU - Cerhan, James R.
AU - Wallace, Robert B.
AU - Havlik, Richard J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by contracts N01-AG-0-2105, N01-AG-0-2106, and N01-AG-0-2107 from the National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, USA. MP was supported by a grant from Ministero per l'Universitá e Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica, 60% N7020532, and from Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy, N95000959PF40.
Funding Information:
The study was based on the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE)–a collaborative, prospective cohort study of older persons supported by the US National Institute on Aging. 20 The participants surveyed were from three regions. Between 1982 and 1983, a regional survey was carried out on all persons aged 65 years or older living in East Boston, Massachusetts, and in the counties of Iowa and Washington in the state of Iowa. During the same period of time another survey was done in New Haven, Connecticut, where a random sample stratified by housing type and sex was taken.
PY - 1996/8/24
Y1 - 1996/8/24
N2 - Background: Calcium-channel blockers can alter apoptosis, a mechanism for destruction of cancer cells. We examined whether the long-term use of calcium-channel blockers is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Methods: Between 1988 and 1992 we carried out a prospective cohort study of 5052 people aged 71 years or more and who lived in three regions of Massachusetts, Iowa, and Connecticut USA. Those taking calcium-channel blockers (n = 451) were compared with all other participants (n = 4601). The incidence of cancer was assessed by survey of hospital discharge diagnoses and causes of death. These outcomes were validated by the cancer registry in the one region where it was available. Demographic variables, disability, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, blood pressure, body-mass index, use of other drugs, hospital admissions for other causes, and comorbidity were all assessed as possible confounding factors. Findings: The hazard ratio for cancer associated with calcium channel blockers (1549 person-years, 47 events) compared with those not taking calcium-channel blockers (17225 person-years, 373 events) was 1.72 (95% CI 1.27-2.34, p = 0.0005), after adjustment for confounding factors. A significant dose-response gradient was found. Hazard ratios associated with verapamil, diltiazem, and nifedipine did not differ significantly from each other. The results remained unchanged in community-specific analyses. The association between calcium-channel blockers and cancer was found with most of the common cancers. Interpretation: Calcium-channel blockers were associated with a general increased risk of cancer in the study populations, which suggested a common mechanism. These observational findings should be confirmed by other studies.
AB - Background: Calcium-channel blockers can alter apoptosis, a mechanism for destruction of cancer cells. We examined whether the long-term use of calcium-channel blockers is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Methods: Between 1988 and 1992 we carried out a prospective cohort study of 5052 people aged 71 years or more and who lived in three regions of Massachusetts, Iowa, and Connecticut USA. Those taking calcium-channel blockers (n = 451) were compared with all other participants (n = 4601). The incidence of cancer was assessed by survey of hospital discharge diagnoses and causes of death. These outcomes were validated by the cancer registry in the one region where it was available. Demographic variables, disability, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, blood pressure, body-mass index, use of other drugs, hospital admissions for other causes, and comorbidity were all assessed as possible confounding factors. Findings: The hazard ratio for cancer associated with calcium channel blockers (1549 person-years, 47 events) compared with those not taking calcium-channel blockers (17225 person-years, 373 events) was 1.72 (95% CI 1.27-2.34, p = 0.0005), after adjustment for confounding factors. A significant dose-response gradient was found. Hazard ratios associated with verapamil, diltiazem, and nifedipine did not differ significantly from each other. The results remained unchanged in community-specific analyses. The association between calcium-channel blockers and cancer was found with most of the common cancers. Interpretation: Calcium-channel blockers were associated with a general increased risk of cancer in the study populations, which suggested a common mechanism. These observational findings should be confirmed by other studies.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0140-6736(96)04277-8
DO - 10.1016/S0140-6736(96)04277-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 8757150
AN - SCOPUS:0030600342
SN - 0140-6736
VL - 348
SP - 493
EP - 497
JO - Lancet
JF - Lancet
IS - 9026
ER -