Aspirin, SSRIs Associated with Reduced Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Aspirin and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are each associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer—but the medications are linked with an even greater risk reduction when combined, according to a study published online ahead of print in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

“Chemoprevention against colorectal cancer is greatly needed,” researchers wrote. “As the development of colorectal cancer involves multiple dysfunctional pathways, it is thus reasonable to combine some agents that address several pathways to achieve better chemoprotection.”

The nested case-control study included 24,786 people with colorectal cancer in Sweden who were randomly matched for sex and birth year with 74,358 control subjects.

Researchers found monotherapy with either aspirin or SSRIs was negatively associated with colorectal cancer risk. Adjusted odds ratios of colorectal cancer were 0.91 with aspirin monotherapy and 0.93 with SSRIs.

Colorectal cancer risk was lower, however, with combined use of aspirin and SSRIs. Researchers reported an adjusted odds ratio of 0.77 with combined use of aspirin and SSRIs.

Inverse associations of reduced cancer risk demonstrated a dose-dependent pattern, according to the study.

“The stronger chemoprevention of combined use of aspirin and SSRIs is innovative,” researchers wrote, “and calls for further studies to confirm the underlying mechanisms and the plausibility of clinical recommendation.”

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference

Zhang N, Sundquist J, Sundquist K, Zhang ZG, Ji J. Combined use of aspirin and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer: a nested case-control study. Am J Gastroenterol. Published ahead of print February 26, 2021.