Proton pump inhibitors and risk of gastrointestinal cancer: A meta­analysis of cohort studies.

Although proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used in the treatment of various acid-related disorders, observational studies have raised concern about an association between PPI use and the risk of gastrointestinal cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the association between them using a meta-analysis of cohort studies. PubMed and Excerpta Medica dataBASE were searched from inception to December 2022 to identify relevant cohort studies. The primary outcome was the risk of gastrointestinal cancer among PPI users, expressed as a pooled odds ratio (OR), relative risk (RR) or hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% CI based on a random-effects model. A total of 25 cohort studies from 23 articles were included in the final analysis. In the meta-analysis of all studies, an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer following the use of PPIs was observed (OR/RR/HR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.78-2.46). Subgroup analyses by type of cancer also revealed an association between PPI use and the risk of esophageal, gastric, liver and pancreatic cancer, whereas there was no association for colorectal cancer. The increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer was also observed in individuals who had used PPIs for <1 year (OR/RR/HR, 5.23; 95% CI, 2.96-9.24) as well as individuals who had used PPIs for up to 3 years. The present meta-analysis revealed that the use of PPIs was associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer.

Cluster of lifestyle risk factors for stomach cancer and screening behaviors among Korean adults.

This study aimed to investigate clustering patterns of lifestyle risk factors for stomach cancer and examine the association of risk factor clusters with stomach cancer screening adherence. Data from the 2019 Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, an annual cross-sectional nationwide survey, were used. The study population included 3539 adults aged 40-74 years with no history of cancer. Six stomach cancer risk factors, including smoking, drinking, physical inactivity, obesity, meat intake, and salted food intake, as well as stomach cancer screening behaviors, were assessed. The most frequent risk factor for stomach cancer was physical inactivity, followed by smoking in males and high salted food intake in females. Compared with participants subjects with no risk factors, those with three or more risk factors were less likely to adhere to screening guidelines (males: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23-0.53; females: aOR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.21-0.48). Our findings indicate a disparity in stomach cancer screening, such that those with more risk factors are less likely to get screened. Increasing public awareness, providing behavioral counseling, and targeting high-risk populations for screening interventions are critical for promoting cancer screening adherence and reducing the disparity in cancer screening.

Changes in cancer screening before and during COVID-19: findings from the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey 2019 and 2020.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively affected every aspect of medical care. However, information regarding the impact of the pandemic on cancer screening is lacking. This study aimed to explore cancer screening changes by geographic region before and during the pandemic in Korea. METHODS: Korean National Cancer Screening Survey data for 2019 and 2020 were used. Changes in the screening rate before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were calculated by subtracting the rate in 2020 from the rate in 2019. Multivariate logistic regression analyses examined the differences in screening rates at the national and 16 provincial levels before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. RESULTS: The 1-year screening rates for the four types of cancer decreased during the pandemic (stomach cancer: -5.1, colorectal cancer: -3.8, breast cancer: -2.5, cervical cancer: -1.5%p). In metropolitan areas, the odds of undergoing screening tests during the pandemic were significantly lower than before the pandemic for stomach (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56 to 0.76), colorectal (aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.79), and breast cancers (aOR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.94). Furthermore, the likelihood of undergoing stomach cancer screening during the pandemic was significantly lower than before the pandemic in non-metropolitan urban areas (aOR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.70 to 0.94), while it was higher in rural areas (aOR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.10 to 2.16). CONCLUSIONS: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the cancer screening rate has decreased significantly, especially in large cities. Public health efforts are required to improve cancer screening rates.