Safety and efficacy of aspirin for primary prevention of cancer: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Authors

null

Tarek Haykal

Hurley Medical Center/Michigan State University, Flint, MI

Tarek Haykal , Mahmoud Barbarawi , Yazan Zayed , Babikir Kheiri , Anitha Yelangi , Harsukh Dhillon , Sowmya Goranta , Adam Chahine , Varun Samji , Ghassan Bachuwa , Khalil Katato

Organizations

Hurley Medical Center/Michigan State University, Flint, MI, Genesee Hem Onc PC, Flint, MI

Research Funding

Other

Background: In the United States, cancer is the second leading cause of mortality, and millions more battle cancer worldwide. As such, primary prevention of cancer is a major interest globally. Aspirin has been studied as a primary prevention method for multiple diseases, mainly cardiovascular disease and various forms of cancer. The role of aspirin as a primary prevention of cancer is still controversial and may be more beneficial in certain cancers over others. With rapidly surfacing large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying this subject, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of aspirin as a primary prophylaxis for cancer. Methods: A comprehensive electronic database search was conducted for all RCTs that compared aspirin versus placebo for the prevention of any type of disease, and where cancer incidence or mortality was reported. The primary outcome was cancer-related mortality. Secondary outcomes were cancer incidence, all-cause mortality, major bleeding, any bleeding and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects model at the longest follow-up period. Results: We included 16 RCTs with 104,018total patients, mean age of 60.51 years, mean follow-up of 5.48 years, and a male percentage of 38.72%. We found that aspirin was not associated with a significant reduction of cancer-related mortality compared with placebo (RR 0.99; 95% CI: 0.87-1.12; P = 0.85: I2= 41%). Compared with placebo, aspirin was not associated with significant reduction of all-cause mortality (RR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.92-1.02; P = 0.19; I2= 13%) or cancer incidence (RR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.92-1.04; P = 0.43; I2= 16%). However, aspirin treatment was associated with significantly increased risks of any bleeding (RR 1.63; 95% CI: 1.31-2.03; P < 0.01), major bleeding (RR 1.41; 95% CI: 1.26-1.57; P < 0.01), and GI bleeding (RR 1.85; 95% CI: 1.38-2.48; P < 0.01) compared with placebo. Conclusions: Our study did not find any significant reductions in cancer-related mortality or cancer incidence when compared with placebo. Our study also highlights the dangers of aspirin for primary prevention of cancer as aspirin was found to cause higher rates of bleeding (any bleeding, major bleeding, and GI bleeding) compared to placebo at the longest follow-up period with no significant benefit in cancer primary prevention.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2019 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Cancer Prevention, Hereditary Genetics, and Epidemiology

Track

Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Genetics

Sub Track

Cancer Prevention

Citation

J Clin Oncol 37, 2019 (suppl; abstr 1533)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.1533

Abstract #

1533

Poster Bd #

27

Abstract Disclosures

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