ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of the use of aspirin on the incidence rate of liver cancer in patients with viral hepatitis. MethodsEnglish databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies on the use of aspirin and the incidence rate of liver cancer in patients with viral hepatitis published up to July 15, 2020. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were selected as pooled indicators. RevMan 5.3 was used to perform the Meta-analysis, and a descriptive analysis was performed for data that could not be pooled. ResultsNine studies were included, involving 132 066 patients with viral hepatitis. The results showed that the incidence rate of liver cancer was reduced by 31% in the patients with viral hepatitis who were treated with aspirin (HR=069, 95% CI: 0.65-0.74, P＜0.000 01). Four studies reported the incidence rate of gastrointestinal bleeding, suggesting that the use of aspirin did not significantly increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with viral hepatitis(P＞0.05). ConclusionAspirin therapy may help to reduce the incidence rate of liver cancer in patients with viral hepatitis and does not significantly increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding in such patients and the patients with liver cirrhosis. Aspirin may have a positive significance in reducing liver cancer, but the mechanism behind this clinical phenomenon remains unclear, and therefore, more clinical observation studies are needed to verify its safety and efficacy.