1. Gabapentin and Cancer Risk: Updated Findings from Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
- Author
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Friedman GD, Achacoso N, and Habel LA
- Subjects
- California epidemiology, Case-Control Studies, Cohort Studies, Databases, Factual, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Risk Assessment, Sensitivity and Specificity, United Kingdom epidemiology, Analgesics administration & dosage, Gabapentin administration & dosage, Neoplasms epidemiology
- Abstract
Context: Epidemiologic analyses of gabapentin use and cancer risk in Kaiser Permanente Northern California were previously carried out in a collaborative study and independently evaluated in a UK database., Objective: To update these epidemiologic analyses with 7.5 more years of follow-up., Design: Case-control analyses using conditional logistic regression to estimate relative risk by odds ratios using the prior collaboration's criteria for identifying positive drug-cancer associations and our more stringent criteria requiring stronger association, lower p values, and evidence of dose response. New associations were reanalyzed with additional control for limited measures of smoking and alcohol use., Main Outcome Measures: Gabapentin-cancer associations., Results: No previously found associations met our stringent criteria, but cancers of the mouth/pharynx, esophagus, liver, and vagina did. All odds ratios for 3 or more and 8 or more prescriptions were moderately reduced by control for smoking and alcohol. Substantial elevations of risk of mouth/pharynx, liver, and vaginal cancers were associated with only 1 prescription dispensed. Sensitivity analyses aimed at possible confounding and other biases did not change our conclusions but did reveal a markedly increased risk of vaginal cancer in gabapentin users with epilepsy compared with users without., Conclusion: The reduced magnitude of relative risk with control for smoking and alcohol use suggests confounding by known risk factors. Biologically implausible elevated risk from just 1 prescription suggests confounding by indication. Either or both of these concerns applies to each of the 4 cancer sites associated with gabapentin use. Updated analyses show little if any evidence for carcinogenic effects of gabapentin.
- Published
- 2019
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