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Cancer Causes & Control
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control 11/2014

01-11-2014 | Brief report

Long-term use of 5α-reductase inhibitors and the risk of male breast cancer

Authors: Ruben G. Duijnhoven, Sabine M. J. M. Straus, Patrick C. Souverein, Anthonius de Boer, J. L. H. Ruud Bosch, Arno W. Hoes, Marie L. De Bruin

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 11/2014

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Abstract

Background

The 5α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARI) finasteride and dutasteride are indicated for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia. Case reports have suggested that 5-ARIs increase the risk for male breast cancer, with no conclusive evidence. The objective of this study was to quantify the association between use of 5-ARIs and the risk for male breast cancer.

Methods

A case–control study was conducted with data from the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink database among all men aged 45 years and older in the period 1 January 1992 to 31 December 2011. Cases of men diagnosed with breast cancer were matched to up 10 controls on age and general practice. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were estimated for the risk of breast cancer associated with the use of 5-ARIs.

Results

Three hundred and ninety-eight cases were identified and matched to 3,930 controls. Ever use of 5-ARIs was associated with an adjusted odds ratio for breast cancer of 1.08 (95 % CI 0.62–1.87) compared to non-users. Increasing cumulative duration of treatment showed no increasing risks: adjusted odds ratios for use for less than 280, for 280 to 1,036 and for more than 1,036 days were 1.21 (95 % CI 0.47–3.10), 0.94 (95 % CI 0.36–2.41) and 1.29 (95 % CI 0.54–3.08), respectively.

Conclusions

In this study, there was no evidence of an association between short- or long-term treatment with 5-ARIs and the risk for breast cancer in older men.
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Metadata
Title
Long-term use of 5α-reductase inhibitors and the risk of male breast cancer
Authors
Ruben G. Duijnhoven
Sabine M. J. M. Straus
Patrick C. Souverein
Anthonius de Boer
J. L. H. Ruud Bosch
Arno W. Hoes
Marie L. De Bruin
Publication date
01-11-2014
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 11/2014
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-014-0455-6

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