Takeaway
- Metformin use was not associated with decreased risk for gastric non-cardia or cardia adenocarcinoma during the follow-up for a median of 6 years.
Why this matters
- At present, there is no clarity whether the use of metformin is associated with the risk for gastric adenocarcinoma.
Study design
- This population-based study included a diabetes cohort of antidiabetes medication users (n=544,130) and a matched cohort of common-medication users (n=4,525,543).
- Metformin non-users were frequency matched (10:1) with metformin users for sex and age.
- The association between metformin use and risk for gastric non-cardia and cardia adenocarcinoma was assessed.
- Funding: Swedish Cancer Society and others.
Key results
- 6395 (0.1%) and 892 (0.1%) participants in diabetes and matched cohort of common-medication users developed gastric adenocarcinoma during a median follow-up of 5.8 years.
- Metformin use was not associated with decreased risk for gastric adenocarcinoma (diabetes cohort: aHR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.92-1.26; matched cohort: aHR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.26-1.50).
- The risk for gastric non-cardia adenocarcinoma was not significantly decreased in metformin users (diabetes cohort: aHR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.78-1.12; matched cohort: aHR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.18-1.42) compared with non-users.
Limitations
- Lack of information on potential confounders, particularly obesity.
References
References
