Associations of antibiotic use with risk of primary liver cancer in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink

Journal: British Journal of Cancer

Authors: Baiyu Yang ¹, Katrina Wilcox Hagberg ², Jie Chen ¹, Vikrant V Sahasrabuddhe ^1 3, Barry I Graubard ¹, Susan Jick ², Katherine A McGlynn ¹

NLM Citation: Yang B, Hagberg KW, Chen J, Sahasrabuddhe VV, Graubard BI, Jick S, McGlynn KA. Associations of antibiotic use with risk of primary liver cancer in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Br J Cancer. 2016 Jun 28;115(1):85-9. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2016.148. Epub 2016 May 24. PMID: 27219020; PMCID: PMC4931369.

Abstract

Background: Use of antibiotics could alter human microbiota composition and decrease bacterial diversity. Such microbial dysbiosis may have implications in hepatocarcinogenesis; however, the association between antibiotic use and liver cancer risk has been minimally examined in humans.

Methods: We performed a nested case-control study (1195 primary liver cancer cases and 4640 matched controls) within the United Kingdom’s Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Antibiotic use was obtained from prescription records. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression.

Results: Ever-use of prescription antibiotics was associated with a slightly increased risk of liver cancer, compared to non-use (OR=1.22, 95% CI=1.03-1.45). However, there was no clear dose-response relationship by the number of prescriptions or cumulative dose of antibiotic use, suggesting a non-causal association.

Conclusions: Our results do not support a role of antibiotic use in liver cancer development.