Statin use and the risk of bladder cancer: a population-based case–control study

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of statins is associated with bladder cancer risk.

Methods: The authors conducted a population-based case–control study in Taiwan. Cases consisted of all patients who were aged 50 years and older and had a first-time diagnosis of bladder cancer, for the period between 2004 and 2010. The controls were matched to cases by age, sex and index date. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by using multiple logistic regression.

Results: The authors examined 325 bladder cancer cases and 1300 controls. The unadjusted ORs for any statin prescription was 0.94 (95% CI 0.70 – 1.28) and the adjusted OR was 0.88 (95% CI 0.61 – 1.25). Compared with no use of statins, the adjusted ORs were 0.72 (95% CI 0.40 – 1.28) for the group having been prescribed statins with cumulative defined daily dose (DDDs) below 56 DDDs, 0.81 (95% CI 0.46 – 1.43) for the group with cumulative dose between 56 DDDs and 196 DDDs, and 1.11 (95% CI 0.67 – 1.85) for the group with cumulative statin use of 196 DDDs or more.

Conclusions: The present data do not provide evidence to support either beneficial or harmful associations between statin use and bladder cancer risk.

Keywords::

• bladder cancer
• case–control study
• pharmacoepidemiology
• statins

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest. This study is based in part on data from the National Health Insurance Research Database provided by the Bureau of National Health Insurance, Department of Health and managed by National Health Research Institutes. The interpretation and conclusions contained herein do not represent those of Bureau of National Health Insurance, Department of Health or National Health Research Institutes. This study was supported in part by a grant from the National Science Council, Executive Yuan, Taiwan (NSC-100-2314-B-037-023-MY2).