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Use of Inhaled Corticosteroids and the Risk of Lung Cancer, the HUNT Study

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Abstract

Background

Inflammation plays a central role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer carcinogenesis. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) reduce inflammation. This study has investigated whether ICS use is associated with a lower risk of lung cancer.

Materials and Methods

Data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT2 Survey, 1995–1997) were merged with The Cancer Registry of Norway and Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. From a total of 65,215 participants, those with chronic airway inflammation, defined by FEV1% < 70 and/or chronic cough and expectorate phlegm, were included (N = 4136). Of these, 3041 individuals reported regarding ICS use and were observed for a period of 12 years. Cox regression models were used to calculate the risk of lung cancer with a 95% confidence interval (CI) with sex, age, smoking pack years and FEV1% < 70 as known confounders.

Results

Among ICS users (N = 1095). we found a higher, but not significant, incidence of lung cancer N = 39 (3.6%), compared to non-users (N = 1946) with N = 65 (3.3%) cases. Age and smoking were associated with a higher risk, while sex and lung function were not. After adjusting for confounders, ICS use did not change the risk of lung cancer, hazard ratio (HR) 0.968, (95% CI, 0.608–1.540), and p value 0.890.

Conclusion

ICS use is not associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer in our study population.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the staff at HUNT Research Center, Norwegian Cancer Registry and Statistics Norway for cooperation and help in data management, and, last but not least, all the participants in the HUNT Study.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Correspondence to Peter Hatlen.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Sørli, K., Thorvaldsen, S.M. & Hatlen, P. Use of Inhaled Corticosteroids and the Risk of Lung Cancer, the HUNT Study. Lung 196, 179–184 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-018-0092-z

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