Statin use is associated with a decreased risk of Barrett's esophagus

Trends in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Incidence in the United States from 1992 to 2019

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer (EC) incidence rates overall have declined in recent decades; however, the two main subtypes, esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), show divergent secular trends.

METHODS

Age-adjusted EC incidence rates were calculated using data from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) 12 Program. We examined secular trends from 1992 to 2019 overall and by age group, sex, race/ethnicity, tumor location, and SEER registry. Joinpoint regression was used to compute annual percent changes (APC) and average annual percent changes (AAPC). We used age-period-cohort models to examine the potential impact of period and birth cohort effects on trends.

RESULTS

Between 1992 and 2019, overall EC incidence rates declined by 0.54% annually (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.75%, -0.33%). While ESCC rates declined linearly throughout the study period (AAPC = -2.85; 95%CI: -3.05%, -2.65%), EAC rates increased by over 5% annually from 1992 to 2000 (APC = 5.17; 95%CI: 3.28%, 7.10%), before stabilizing from 2000 to 2019 (APC = 0.22; 95%CI: -0.16%, 0.60%). Trends in ESCC and EAC varied by age group, sex, and race/ethnicity. Relative to ESCC rates among cohorts born circa 1950, the rates were 81% lower in cohorts born circa 1985 (rate ratio, 0.19; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.96). For EAC, rates have remained stable across successive birth cohorts since 1950.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed linear declines in EC rates overall and for ESCC across age, sex, and race/ethnicity subgroups, but an inconsistent pattern for EAC. The trends in EAC cohorts born after 1955 were stable and suggest that EAC rates may have peaked in the U.S.

Role of Obesity, Physical Exercise, Adipose Tissue-Skeletal Muscle Crosstalk and Molecular Advances in Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Both obesity and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) rates have increased sharply in the United States and Western Europe in recent years. EAC is a classic example of obesity-related cancer where the risk of EAC increases with increasing body mass index. Pathologically altered visceral fat in obesity appears to play a key role in this process. Visceral obesity may promote EAC by directly affecting gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett’s esophagus (BE), as well as a less reflux-dependent effect, including the release of pro-inflammatory adipokines and insulin resistance. Deregulation of adipokine production, such as the shift to an increased amount of leptin relative to “protective” adiponectin, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of BE and EAC. This review discusses not only the epidemiology and pathophysiology of obesity in BE and EAC, but also molecular alterations at the level of mRNA and proteins associated with these esophageal pathologies and the potential role of adipokines and myokines in these disorders. Particular attention is given to discussing the possible crosstalk of adipokines and myokines during exercise. It is concluded that lifestyle interventions to increase regular physical activity could be helpful as a promising strategy for preventing the development of BE and EAC.

Response Predictive Markers and Synergistic Agents for Drug Repositioning of Statins in Ovarian Cancer

In the field of drug repurposing, the use of statins for treating dyslipidemia is considered promising in ovarian cancer treatment based on epidemiological studies and basic research findings. Biomarkers should be established to identify patients who will respond to statin treatment to achieve clinical application. In the present study, we demonstrated that statins have a multifaceted mode of action in ovarian cancer and involve pathways other than protein prenylation. To identify biomarkers that predict the response to statins, we subjected ovarian cancer cells to microarray analysis and calculated Pearson’s correlation coefficients between gene expression and cell survival after statin treatment. The results showed that VDAC1 and LDLRAP1 were positively and negatively correlated with the response to statins, respectively. Histoculture drug response assays revealed that statins were effective in clinical samples. We also confirmed the synergistic effects of statins with paclitaxel and panobinostat and determined that statins are hematologically safe to administer to statin-treated mice. Future clinical trials based on the expression of the biomarkers identified in this study for repurposing statins for ovarian cancer treatment are warranted.

Lifestyle interventions can reduce the risk of Barrett's esophagus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 62 studies involving 250,157 participants

Background

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a well‐established risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Our objective was to investigate the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions on BE risk.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to 30 September 2020. The summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the highest versus lowest categories of exposure were assessed. Analyses of subgroup, dose–response, sensitivity, and publication bias were conducted.

Results

Sixty‐two studies were included that involved more than 250,157 participants and 22,608 cases. Seven lifestyle factors were investigated: smoking, alcohol, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, sleep time, medication, and diet. We observed statistically significant increased BE risks for smoking (RR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.16–1.57), alcohol intake (RR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.13–1.34), body fatness (RR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.03–1.13), less sleep time (RR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.24–2.49), and proton pump inhibitors use (RR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.17–2.29). Reduced risks of BE were found for aspirin (RR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.58–0.84) and the intake of vitamin C (RR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.44–0.80), folate (RR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.31–0.71), and fiber (RR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.93–0.97). The quality of most included studies was high and the subgroup analysis according to the quality score showed significant results (p < 0.05). There was no publication bias for smoking and alcohol. Although the analysis suggested significant evidence of publication bias for BMI, sensitivity analysis showed that the changes in the recalculated RRs were not significant.

Conclusions

The large meta‐analysis revealed that lifestyle modifications could reduce the risks of BE and, consequently, esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Global burden and epidemiology of Barrett oesophagus and oesophageal cancer

Oesophageal cancer is a global health problem; in 2018 there were more than 572,000 people newly diagnosed with oesophageal cancer worldwide. There are two main histological subtypes of oesophageal cancer, oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and there has been a dramatic shift in its epidemiology. While the incidence of EAC and its precursor lesion, Barrett oesophagus, has increased in Western populations over the past four decades, the incidence of ESCC has declined in most parts of the world over the same period. ESCC still accounts for the vast majority of all oesophageal cancer cases diagnosed worldwide each year. Prognosis for patients with oesophageal cancer is strongly related to stage at diagnosis. As most patients are diagnosed with late-stage disease, overall 5-year survival for oesophageal cancer remains <20%. Knowledge of epidemiology and risk factors for oesophageal cancer is essential for public health and clinical decisions about risk stratification, screening and prevention. The goal of this Review is to establish the current epidemiology of oesophageal cancer, with a particular focus on the Western world and the increasing incidence of EAC and Barrett oesophagus.

Epidemiology of Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: Implications for Screening and Surveillance

In the United States, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma increased markedly since the 1970s with a recent stabilization. Despite evolving screening and surveillance strategies to diagnose, risk triage, and intervene in Barrett's esophagus patients to prevent esophageal adenocarcinoma, most cases present with advanced disease and poor resultant survival. Epidemiologic studies have identified the main risk factors for these conditions, including increasing age, male sex, white race, gastroesophageal reflux disease, abdominal obesity, cigarette smoking, and lack of infection with Helicobacter pylori. This review summarizes the current epidemiologic evidence with implications for screening and surveillance in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Current Status of Chemoprevention in Barrett's Esophagus

Candidates for chemoprevention in Barrett's esophagus have long been suggested and there has been observational data to support many drugs, including statins, hormone replacement therapy, metformin, proton pump inhibitor therapy, and aspirin. Proton pump inhibitor therapy and aspirin are the most promising agents. Data suggest that aspirin and proton pump inhibitor therapy can decrease the risk of neoplastic progression in Barrett's esophagus. Further, the combination of aspirin and proton pump inhibitor therapy decrease all-cause mortality by approximately 33%. Future guideline groups need to evaluate the evidence rigorously, but the combination of proton pump inhibitor therapy and aspirin is promising.

Chronic High-Fat Diet Induces Early Barrett's Esophagus in Mice through Lipidome Remodeling

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) incidence has been rapidly increasing, potentially associated with the prevalence of the risk factors gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obesity, high-fat diet (HFD), and the precursor condition Barrett’s esophagus (BE). EAC development occurs over several years, with stepwise changes of the squamous esophageal epithelium, through cardiac metaplasia, to BE, and then EAC. To establish the roles of GERD and HFD in initiating BE, we developed a dietary intervention model in C57/BL6 mice using experimental HFD and GERD (0.2% deoxycholic acid, DCA, in drinking water), and then analyzed the gastroesophageal junction tissue lipidome and microbiome to reveal potential mechanisms. Chronic (9 months) HFD alone induced esophageal inflammation and metaplasia, the first steps in BE/EAC pathogenesis. While 0.2% deoxycholic acid (DCA) alone had no effect on esophageal morphology, it synergized with HFD to increase inflammation severity and metaplasia length, potentially via increased microbiome diversity. Furthermore, we identify a tissue lipid signature for inflammation and metaplasia, which is characterized by elevated very-long-chain ceramides and reduced lysophospholipids. In summary, we report a non-transgenic mouse model, and a tissue lipid signature for early BE. Validation of the lipid signature in human patient cohorts could pave the way for specific dietary strategies to reduce the risk of BE in high-risk individuals.

Screening and Prevention of Barrett's Esophagus

Barrett's esophagus (BO) is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, screening for BO is difficult since it is not yet clear who should be screened and which screening method is cost-effective. Screening methods could be upper endoscopy at the time of the first screening colonoscopy, transnasal endoscopy, esophageal capsule endoscopy, or cytosponge. In order to prevent the development of BO or its neoplastic progression, there are modifiable risk factors like obesity or smoking that can be influenced. In addition, several drugs like proton pump inhibitors, aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and statins have shown promising effects in mostly observational studies. However, data from prospective randomized trials are scarce in order to draw final conclusions.

Barrett oesophagus

Barrett oesophagus (BE), the only known histological precursor of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), is a condition in which the squamous epithelium of the oesophagus is replaced by columnar epithelium as an adaptive response to gastro-oesophageal reflux. EAC has one of the fastest rising incidences of cancers in Western countries and has a dismal prognosis. BE is usually detected during endoscopic examination, and diagnosis is confirmed by the histological presence of intestinal metaplasia. Advances in genomics and transcriptomics have improved our understanding of the pathogenesis and malignant progression of intestinal metaplasia. As the majority of EAC cases are diagnosed in individuals without a known history of BE, screening for BE could potentially decrease disease-related mortality. Owing to the pre-malignant nature of BE, endoscopic surveillance of patients with BE is imperative for early detection and treatment of dysplasia to prevent further progression to invasive EAC. Developments in endoscopic therapy have resulted in a major shift in the treatment of patients with BE who have dysplasia or early EAC, from surgical resection to endoscopic resection and ablation. In addition to symptom control by optimization of lifestyle and pharmacological therapy with proton pump inhibitors, chemopreventive strategies based on NSAIDs and statins are currently being investigated for BE management.

The Association Between Statin Use After Diagnosis and Mortality Risk in Patients With Esophageal Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study of United States Veterans

OBJECTIVE

Statins may reduce mortality from esophageal cancer by both reducing incidence but also improving prognosis. However, prior studies of statin use and mortality have reported conflicting results.

METHODS

We identified 7882 patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and 3868 with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) from the VA Central Cancer Registry diagnosed between 2002 and 2016. We identified prescriptions for statins that were filled before and after cancer diagnosis. Time-dependent Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CIs for mortality risk. We used a time-varying exposure to avoid immortal-time bias and a 3 month lag (following patients from 3 months after cancer diagnosis) to reduce reverse causation. A sensitivity analysis was conducted varying the lag duration between date of cancer diagnosis and start of follow-up.

RESULTS

Statin use after diagnosis was recorded in 27.4% of EAC and 17.1% of ESCC patients. In EAC patients, statin use after diagnosis was associated with a decreased risk of cancer specific (HR, 0.79; 95% CI 0.70-0.88) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.80; 95% CI 0.74-0.86). Similarly, statin use after diagnosis of ESCC was associated with a decreased risk of cancer specific (HR, 0.77; 95% CI 0.63-0.92) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.83; 95% CI 0.74-0.95). The inverse associations were attenuated towards the null with a 6-month lag.

CONCLUSIONS

Post-diagnosis statin use was associated with reduced mortality in esophageal cancer patients; however, the effect may be partially due to reverse causality as patients with poor prognosis are unlikely to initiate statin therapy.

Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: How Common Are They Really?

Since the early 1970s, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) has increased dramatically in most Western populations while the incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma has decreased. As a result, EA has become the predominant subtype of esophageal cancer in North America and Europe and is an important contributor to overall cancer mortality. Barrett's esophagus (BE), a metaplastic columnar epithelium of the distal esophagus, is the known precursor lesion for EA. EA and BE occur more frequently in white men over 50 years old, as well as in people with frequent symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux, in smokers, and in people who are obese. Conversely, EA and BE are less common in persons using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and in person with Helicobacter pylori infection. The 5-year survival rate for patients with EA, although generally poor, has improved during the past decade, and long-term survival is increasingly possible for patients with early or locally advanced disease. This review combines a synthesis of published studies with an analysis of data from the United States National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program to discuss the change in incidence of EA and summarize current knowledge of risk factors.

Association of sporadic and familial Barrett's esophagus with breast cancer

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the only known precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Based on striking aggregation of breast cancer and BE/EAC within families as well as shared risk factors and molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis, we hypothesized that BE may be associated with breast cancer. Pedigree analysis of families identified prospectively at multiple academic centers as part of the Familial Barrett's Esophagus Consortium (FBEC) was reviewed and families with aggregation of BE/EAC and breast cancer are reported. Additionally, using a matched case-control study design, we compared newly diagnosed BE cases in Caucasian females with breast cancer (cases) to Caucasian females without breast cancer (controls) who had undergone upper endoscopy (EGD). Two familial pedigrees, meeting a stringent inclusion criterion, manifested familial aggregation of BE/EAC and breast cancer in an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern with incomplete penetrance. From January 2008 to October 2016, 2812 breast cancer patient charts were identified, of which 213 were Caucasian females who underwent EGD. Six of 213 (2.82%) patients with breast cancer had pathology-confirmed BE, compared to 1 of 241 (0.41%) controls (P-value < 0.05). Selected families with BE/EAC show segregation of breast cancer. A breast cancer diagnosis is marginally associated with BE. We postulate a common susceptibility between BE/EAC and breast cancer.

Insights Into the Pathophysiology of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Although researchers have identified genetic alterations that contribute to development of esophageal adenocarcinoma, we know little about features of patients or environmental factors that mediate progression of chronic acid biliary reflux to Barrett's esophagus and cancer. Increasing our understanding of the mechanisms by which normal squamous epithelium progresses to early-stage invasive cancer will help formulate rational surveillance guidelines and allow us to divest resources away from patients at low risk of malignancy. We review the cellular and genetic alterations that occur during progression of Barrett's esophagus, based on findings from clinical studies and mouse models of disease. We review the features of the luminal and mucosal microenvironment of Barrett's esophagus that promote, in a small proportion of patients, development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Markers of clonal evolution can be used to determine patient risk for cancer and set surveillance intervals.

Do Statins Increase the Risk of Esophageal Conditions? Findings from Four Propensity Score-Matched Analyses

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Statins are commonly used medications. Whereas some observational studies suggested an association of statin use with Barrett's esophagus and some upper gastrointestinal symptoms, there is a dearth of data on the association of statins and common esophageal conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophagitis. The aim of this study is to examine the association of statins with esophageal conditions.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study using regional military healthcare data (1 October, 2003 to 1 March, 2012). The primary analyses evaluated the odds of: esophagitis; symptoms of esophagitis; gastroesophageal reflux disease/dyspepsia; and esophageal complications of gastroesophageal reflux disease in four propensity score-matched cohorts of statin users and non-users (propensity score-overall, propensity score-healthy, propensity score-women, and propensity score-men cohorts). Secondary and sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

In the propensity score-overall cohort (n = 12,684), statin users were more likely to be diagnosed with esophagitis (odds ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.22) and gastroesophageal reflux disease/dyspepsia (odds ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.27) compared with non-users. Similar findings were seen in the propensity score-healthy cohort and in the propensity score-men cohort. In the propensity score-women cohort, the odds of esophagitis was higher among statin users compared with non-users (odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.32) but other outcomes were not different. In sensitivity analyses, which excluded patients with obesity, statin use was not associated with an increased odds ratio of gastroesophageal reflux disease/dyspepsia.

CONCLUSION

Statin therapy was associated with higher odds of being diagnosed with esophagitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease/dyspepsia. Further study is warranted to elucidate the potential role of statins in these commonly diagnosed esophageal conditions.

Additional Benefits of Routine Drugs on Gastrointestinal Cancer: Statins, Metformin, and Proton Pump Inhibitors

BACKGROUND

Commonly used medications including statins, metformin, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) effectively reduce the risk of esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer (CRC).

SUMMARY

A number of observational studies and meta-analyses have shown that long-term statin use significantly reduces the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Moreover, statin use after GI cancer diagnosis has been significantly associated with better prognosis in large-scale cohort studies. Metformin was rigorously evaluated in a population-based study and meta-analysis, and was found to have an unexpected benefit in the prevention and prolonged survival of CRC patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In contrast, few studies have demonstrated the chemopreventive effect of metformin for esophageal and gastric cancer. Recent observational studies have demonstrated that PPIs effectively reduce the progression of nondysplastic Barrett's esophagus into esophageal adenocarcinoma in a dose-dependent manner. However, the association between chronic PPI use and CRC or gastric cancer risk is still controversial. It was expected that these 3 routinely used medicines would show a synergistic effect with conventional systemic chemotherapy in advanced GI cancers. However, recent phase III studies failed to show significantly better outcomes. Key Messages: Further studies are needed to identify "additional" anticancer effects of these commonly used medicines.

The Annual Risk of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Does Not Decrease Over Time in Patients With Barrett's Esophagus

OBJECTIVES

Endoscopic surveillance is recommended for patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE). However, it remains unclear if all BE patients benefit from long-term surveillance. We investigated the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in BE patients in relation to number of successive endoscopies, years of follow-up, and calendar year.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of male veterans with newly diagnosed BE during 2004-2009 with follow-up until 30 September 2011. EAC was verified using detailed structured electronic medical records reviews. We used Poisson regression to determine incidence rates, rate ratios (RR), and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for EAC according to number of successive endoscopies, years of follow-up independent of number of follow-up endoscopies, and calendar year of BE diagnosis.

RESULTS

Among 28,561 male patients with BE, 406 developed EAC during 140,499 person-years of follow-up (median 4.9 years). EAC incidence rates increased with each additional endoscopy following a previous negative endoscopy (RR per additional endoscopy, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.25-1.64). Compared to the EAC incidence rate at the 1st follow-up EGD, the EAC incidence rate at the 5th follow-up EGD was ninefold higher (adjusted RR, 8.82; 95% CI, 4.90-15.9). EAC incidence was highest at the first year of follow-up (5.34 per 1,000 person-years); however, EAC rates starting from the second follow-up year increased during successive years of follow up. Compared to the EAC incidence rate in the 2nd year of follow-up, the EAC incidence rate was 1.5-fold higher in EGDs conducted ≥5 years after the index BE date (adjusted RR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.07-2.10). In contrast, we found no significant change in EAC incidence rates by calendar year.

CONCLUSIONS

Persistence of non-neoplastic BE on multiple consecutive endoscopies was not associated with lower EAC risk. These findings argue against discontinuation of endoscopic surveillance in patients with persistent nondysplastic BE after multiple negative endoscopies.

Risk prediction in Barrett's esophagus - aspects of a combination of molecular and epidemiologic biomarkers reflecting alterations of the microenvironment

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a chronic, metaplastic lesion of the esophagus and the only known precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma. The identification of risk factors to assess the risk for BE and their correspondence with hallmarks of malignant progression for early stratification purposes is critically needed. Data legitimate the assumption that aside of reflux symptoms and related conditions, also demographic and environmental factors are thought to be associated with the risk for BE and its progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Molecular biomarkers and inflammatory mechanisms are subjects of intensive research and dispone of promising features regarding risk assessment especially for progressive BE. The amount of investigated epidemiologic factors, as well as discovered biomarkers gets confusingly large. Despite the recognized potential relevance of environmental and molecular factors, the efforts to date have resulted in moderately applicable risk estimates. More prospective data is needed to allow an imputation of the mostly retrospectively assessed factors to reappraise their meaningfulness in risk prediction approaches.

Determination of risk for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus, have increased greatly over the past 40 years and continue to rise. This report summarizes the most recent data on the risk factors for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

RECENT FINDINGS

Other factors, highly correlated with increasing trends for obesity, are the dominant driver of the increase in incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma, interacting with gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms. Abdominal obesity, independently of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms, is associated with increased risk of Barrett's esophagus and this association is likely mediated by high levels of leptin and insulin. Use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, and proton pump inhibitors are associated with a reduced risk of Barrett's esophagus as well as lower risk of neoplastic progression in patients with Barrett's esophagus. An increasing number of genetic loci have been associated with risk of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

SUMMARY

Recent advances in identifying risk factors and reporting of more precise estimates of effect for the main risk factors will positively impact clinical risk stratification efforts for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Large pooling studies are underway to derive and validate reliable clinical risk models.

Metabolic syndrome in relation to Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma: Results from a large population-based case-control study in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) causes local chronic inflammation that increases risks of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA), yet symptomatic GERD is absent in approximately half of all such patients. Obesity exacerbates GERD and is also a component of metabolic syndrome (MetS). We evaluated the hypothesis that MetS is a GERD-independent mechanism by which obesity is associated with increased risks of BE and EA using data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. BE cases (n=10,215) and EA cases (n=592) were each individually matched to five population controls based on age, sex, and general practice. MetS was defined as occurrence of at least three of the following: obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression. MetS was marginally associated with BE (OR=1.12, 95%CI 1.00-1.25). Similar effects were found for the individual component factors of obesity, hypertension, and high cholesterol. History of GERD modified the association (P-effect modification <1E-5), with the MetS-BE association confined to patients without a history of GERD (OR=1.33, 95%CI 1.12-1.58). No association between MetS and risk of EA was detected in the main or stratified analyses. In this large population-based case-control study, individuals with MetS had a marginally increased risk of BE in the absence of GERD. The systemic inflammatory state (MetS) may represent a reflux-independent inflammatory pathway that increases the risk of BE. MetS did not increase risk of EA in this study population.

Reduced Risk of Barrett's Esophagus in Statin Users: Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Use of statins has been associated with a reduced incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in population-based studies. However there are few studies examining statin use and the development of Barrett's esophagus.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between statin use and the presence of Barrett's esophagus in patients having their first gastroscopy.

METHODS

We have performed a case-control study comparing statin use between patients with, and without, an incident diagnosis of non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus. Male Barrett's cases (134) were compared to 268 male age-matched controls in each of two control groups (erosive gastro-esophageal reflux and dyspepsia without significant upper gastrointestinal disease). Risk factor and drug exposure were established using standardised interviews. Logistic regression was used to compare statin exposure and correct for confounding factors. We performed a meta-analysis pooling our results with three other case-control studies.

RESULTS

Regular statin use was associated with a significantly lower incidence of Barrett's esophagus compared to the combined control groups [adjusted OR 0.62 (95 % confidence intervals 0.37-0.93)]. This effect was more marked in combined statin plus aspirin users [adjusted OR 0.43 (95 % CI 0.21-0.89)]. The inverse association between statin or statin plus aspirin use and risk of Barrett's was significantly greater with longer duration of use. Meta-analysis of pooled data (1098 Barrett's, 2085 controls) showed that statin use was significantly associated with a reduced risk of Barrett's esophagus [pooled adjusted OR 0.63 (95 % CI 0.51-0.77)].

CONCLUSIONS

Statin use is associated with a reduced incidence of a new diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus.

Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: The Influence of Medications Used to Treat Comorbidities on Cancer Prognosis

Esophageal adenocarcinoma has undergone a continuous rise in incidence since the early 1970s and is the fastest rising cancer among white men in the United States. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that medications commonly used to treat multiple chronic conditions (for example, aspirin, non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and statins) as well as powerful acid suppressants such as proton pump inhibitors are associated with a reduced risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. The chemopreventive potential of these classes of medications appears to be especially applicable to persons with Barrett's esophagus, the only known premalignant condition for esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, it is not known whether these medications also influence cancer recurrence and cancer-specific mortality in persons diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma. This is an important question because most patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma have 1 or more comorbid conditions at the time of their cancer diagnosis and are receiving medication to treat these conditions. This article summarizes the evidence on the associations between 4 commonly used classes of medications and (1) risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma and Barrett's esophagus and (2) risk of cancer recurrence and cancer-specific mortality in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Statin use reduces risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma in US veterans with Barrett's esophagus: a nested case-control study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Statins have been reported to protect against esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE). However, there are few data from adequately powered cohort studies of subjects with BE.

METHODS

We conducted a nested case-control study of a cohort of BE patients identified from national Veteran Affairs (VA) outpatient files, diagnosed with BE from 2004 through 2009. New cases of EAC recorded after BE diagnosis were identified during a follow-up period that ended in 2011 and verified using electronic medical records. We selected patients with BE without EAC (controls) using incidence density sampling; 3 controls were matched to each case based on birth year and date of BE diagnosis. Our analysis included only male patients with at least 1 VA visit per year of follow up. We identified prescriptions for statins and non-statin lipid lowering medications filled after BE diagnosis and up to 90 days before EAC diagnosis for cases and controls (during the corresponding time period); we examined the association between statin use and EAC in conditional logistic regression models.

RESULTS

We compared 311 EAC cases to 856 controls. Cases were less likely to use any statins than controls (40.2% vs 54.0%; P < .01). Significantly lower proportions of cases used statins for 6-18 months (10.0% cases vs 17.1% controls) and >18 months (19.3% vs 24.0%, respectively; P < .01). Simvastatin was the most commonly prescribed statin (accounting for 86.9% of statin use); the defined daily dose of simvastatin was lower in cases than in controls (21-40 mg/day, 9.3% vs 14.5%, respectively; and >40 mg/day, 8.4% vs 12.6%, respectively; P < .01). In multivariate analysis, statin use was inversely associated with development of EAC (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-0.91). This protective association was strongest for patients with advanced-stage EAC: in a stratified analysis, comparison of 189 cases with stage 0-1 EAC to 520 controls produced an adjusted OR of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.54-1.33). Among patients with late-stage EAC (stages 2-4, n = 106) and 291 controls, the adjusted OR was 0.44 (95% CI, 0.25-0.79). We found no association between EAC and non-statin lipid-lowering medications.

CONCLUSIONS

In a case-control study of US veterans, statin use among those with BE appeared to decrease the risk of EAC. This protective effect was strongest against advanced-stage EAC, and increased with statin dose.

Medical Prevention of Barrett's Esophagus: Effects of Statins, Aspirin, Non-aspirin NSAIDs, Calcium, and Multivitamins

BACKGROUND

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that is a precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma. There is limited information regarding whether medications can reduce the risk of developing BE.

AIM

We analyzed medical records at a large veterans hospital to determine the effects of statins, aspirin, non-aspirin NSAIDs, calcium, or multivitamins on the risk of developing BE.

METHODS

In this retrospective case-control study, 250 patients with biopsy-confirmed Barrett's esophagus were compared with 250 controls with acid-peptic symptoms but no endoscopic BE. Medication histories were reviewed for the use of the above substances prior to endoscopic evaluation. Logistic and linear regression was used to determine predictors of the outcomes.

RESULTS

Mean age at diagnosis was significantly older in the Barrett's population compared with controls (61.2 vs. 56.7 years, P < 0.001), with no difference in mean BMI (29.1 vs. 29.0, respectively). On multivariate analysis, independently significant factors for risk of BE were found with multivitamins (OR 0.41, P = 0.001), statins (OR 0.53, P = 0.003), age (OR 1.033/year, P = 0.001), and Hispanic ethnicity (OR 0.38, P = 0.007). Furthermore, statin use was associated with less long-segment (3 cm or longer) BE and was inversely correlated with continuous BE length.

CONCLUSIONS

GERD patients with BE are less likely to use multivitamins and statins, as well as less likely to be of Hispanic ethnicity. Additionally, statins were inversely associated with BE length. Prospective studies of this topic are indicated.

Chemoprevention in Barrett's Esophagus: Current Status

Chemoprevention in Barrett's esophagus is currently applied only in research settings. Identifying pathways that can be targeted by safe, pharmaceutical or natural compounds is key to expanding the scope of chemoprevention. Defining meaningful surrogate markers of cancer progression is critical to test the efficacy of chemopreventive approaches. Combinatorial chemoprevention that targets multiple components of the same pathway or parallel pathways could reduce the risk and improve the efficacy of chemoprevention. Here we discuss the role of chemoprevention as an independent or an adjuvant management option in BE-associated esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Impact of comorbidities and use of common medications on cancer and non-cancer specific survival in esophageal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Chronic comorbidities and some of the commonly-used medications are thought to affect cancer patients' outcomes, but their relative impact on esophageal carcinoma (EC) has not been well studied. The purpose of the study was to identify the chronic comorbidities and/or commonly-used medications that impact EC patient survival.

METHODS

A total of 1174 EC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with or without surgery in one institution from 1998 to 2012 were retrospectively included. Seven kinds of frequently occurring chronic comorbidities and 18 types of regularly-taken medications were obtained from medical records. Since it is expected prognostic factors have different effects between surgery patients and non-surgery patients, the impact value of all variables and the corresponding interactions with surgery on survival were evaluated in Cox proportional hazards regression model. Overall mortality, EC-specific mortality and non EC-specific mortality were endpoints.

RESULTS

We found that atrial fibrillation was the only comorbidity that showed a significant impact on non-EC specific survival for all patients (HR 1.72, P = 0.03), whereas hypothyroidism was the only comorbidity that was evaluated as an independent predictive factor for overall survival (OS) (HR 0.59, P = 0.02) and EC-specific survival (HR 0.62, P = 0.05), but this association was seen only in the non-surgical patients. No other medications were found to have a significant impact for OS, EC-specific survival or non-EC specific survival in multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that certain comorbidities rather than medication use affect EC-specific survival or non EC-specific survival in EC patients treated with CRT with or without surgery. Comorbidity information may better guide individual treatment in EC.

Barrett's oesophagus: frequency and prediction of dysplasia and cancer

The incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma is continuing to increase at an alarming rate in the Western world today. Barrett's oesophagus is a clearly recognized risk factor for the development of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, but the overwhelming majority of patients with Barrett's oesophagus will never develop oesophageal cancer. A number of endoscopic, histologic and epidemiologic risk factors identify Barrett's oesophagus patients at increased risk for progression to high-grade dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Endoscopic factors include segment length, mucosal abnormalities as seemingly trivial as oesophagitis and the 12 to 6 o'clock hemisphere of the oesophagus. Both intestinal metaplasia and low grade dysplasia, the latter only if confirmed by a pathologist with expertise in Barrett's oesophagus pathologic interpretation are the histologic risk factors for progression. Epidemiologic risk factors include ageing, male gender, obesity, and smoking. Factors that may protect against the development of adenocarcinoma include a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and the use of proton pump inhibitors, aspirin/NSAIDs and statins.

NSAIDs, statins, low-dose aspirin and PPIs, and the risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma among patients with Barrett's oesophagus: a population-based case-control study

OBJECTIVES

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), low-dose aspirin and statins may decrease the risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) among patients with Barrett's oesophagus (BO). However, previous studies did not adequately address bias and confounding. Our objective was to estimate the risk of OAC among patients with BO exposed to NSAIDs, statins and PPIs.

DESIGN

Case-control study nested within a BO cohort.

SETTING

Two primary care databases (the UK and the Netherlands (NL)).

PARTICIPANTS

Cases were adults ≥18 years of age with OAC or high-grade dysplasia (HGD) diagnosis ≥1 year after BO diagnosis. Controls were matched on age, sex, year of BO diagnosis and database.

EXPOSURE

Drug use was assessed from BO diagnosis until matching date.

OUTCOME MEASURE

Adjusted ORs with 95% CI were calculated by conditional logistic regression.

RESULTS

Within the BO cohort (n=15 134), 45 OAC (UK: 40, NL: 5) and 12 HGD cases (NL: 12) were identified. ORa for OAC during NSAID use was 1.2 (95% CI 0.6 to 2.5) and during statin use for >3 years 0.5 (95% CI 0.1 to 1.7). When including HGD cases (n=57), ORa for NSAID use was 0.9 (95% CI 0.5 to 1.8) and for statin use >3 years 0.5 (95% CI 0.1 to 1.7). Higher doses of statins showed lower estimates for OAC and HGD, though not statistically significant. Low-dose aspirin and PPIs did not significantly decrease the risk of OAC and HGD.

CONCLUSIONS

In this population-based nested case-control study, use of NSAIDs, PPIs, low-dose aspirin or statins did not reduce the risk of HGD and OAC among patients with BO. These findings indicate that for an unselected group of patients with BO chemoprevention by use of drugs to reduce progression to HGD and OAC should not be directly considered as routine care.