The effect of statin medication on the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma among betel‐nut chewers
Chun‐Chi Huang, Wan‐Ming Chen, Ben‐Chang Shia, Mingchih Chen, Szu‐Yuan Wu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study examines the relationship between statin use and oral cancer squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) risk in a cohort of 47 942 betel nut chewers. METHODS: The study used individual 1:1 matching and propensity score matching to compare statin users and nonusers. RESULTS: The incidence rate of OCSCC was significantly lower in statin users compared to nonusers (17.12 vs. 26.75 per 10 000 person-years), yielding an incidence rate ratio of 0.64. After adjusting for confounders, statin use was associated with a reduced risk of OCSCC (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.61; 95% confidence interval: 0.52-0.71). A dose-response relationship was observed, with a significant reduction in OCSCC incidence when the cumulative defined daily dose of statin use was equal to or greater than Q3. The risk of OCSCC was lower among users of both hydrophilic and lipophilic statins. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that statin use is associated with a reduced risk of OCSCC in betel nut chewers.