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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Low-dose aspirin use and survival in colorectal cancer: results from a population-based cohort study

Authors: Ronan T. Gray, Helen G. Coleman, Carmel Hughes, Liam J. Murray, Chris R. Cardwell

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Aspirin has been proposed as a novel adjuvant agent in colorectal cancer (CRC). Six observational studies have reported CRC-specific survival outcomes in patients using aspirin after CRC diagnosis but the results from these studies have been conflicting. Using a population-based cohort design this study aimed to assess if low-dose aspirin use after diagnosis reduced CRC-specific mortality.

Methods

A cohort of 8391 patients with Dukes’ A-C CRC (2009–2012) was identified from the Scottish Cancer Registry and linked to national prescribing and death records. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CRC-specific mortality were calculated using time-dependent Cox regression.

Results

There were 1064 CRC-specific deaths after a median follow-up of 3.6 years. Post-diagnostic low-dose aspirin use was not associated with a reduction in CRC-specific mortality either before or after adjustment for confounders (adjusted HR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.00–1.36). In sensitivity analysis pre-diagnostic low-dose aspirin was also not associated with reduced CRC-specific mortality (adjusted HR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.88–1.05).

Conclusion

Low-dose aspirin use, either before or after diagnosis, did not prolong survival in this population-based CRC cohort.
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Metadata
Title
Low-dose aspirin use and survival in colorectal cancer: results from a population-based cohort study
Authors
Ronan T. Gray
Helen G. Coleman
Carmel Hughes
Liam J. Murray
Chris R. Cardwell
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-018-4142-y

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