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. 2021 Mar;87(3):1561-1567.
doi: 10.1111/bcp.14502. Epub 2020 Aug 14.

Low-dose aspirin use and risk of head and neck cancer-A Danish nationwide case-control study

Cecilie D de la Cour  1 , Freija Verdoodt  1 , Gitte L Aalborg  2 , Christian von Buchwald  3 , Søren Friis  2 , Christian Dehlendorff  2 , Susanne K Kjaer  1   4
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Free article

Low-dose aspirin use and risk of head and neck cancer-A Danish nationwide case-control study

Cecilie D de la Cour et al. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2021 Mar.
Free article

Abstract

Results concerning a potential preventive effect of aspirin on head and neck cancer (HNC) are conflicting. We examined the association between low-dose aspirin use and HNC risk overall and by degree of human papillomavirus association in a nested case-control study using nationwide registries. Cases (n = 12 389) were all Danish residents diagnosed with primary HNC (2000-2015). Age- and sex-matched population controls (n = 185 835) were selected by risk-set-sampling. Using conditional logistic regression, we estimated multivariable-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for HNC associated with low-dose aspirin use (≥2 prescriptions). No association was observed between low-dose aspirin ever-use and overall HNC (odds ratio: 1.03, 95% confidence interval: 0.97-1.10). Estimates remained neutral according to patterns of use. Low-dose aspirin use appeared to slightly decrease HNC risk among the eldest (71-84 y), independently of human papillomavirus association, while slightly increase HNC risk among younger age groups (30-60, 61-70 y), driven by an increased risk of oral cancer. However, no consistent patterns in risk estimates were found according to duration and consistency of low-dose aspirin use in the age-stratified analyses.

Keywords: aspirin; head and neck neoplasms; human papilloma virus; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents; pharmacoepidemiology.

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