Meta‐analysis: Chemoprevention of hepatocellular carcinoma with statins, aspirin and metformin
Rebecca Wenling Zeng, Jie Ning Yong, Darren Jun Hao Tan, Clarissa Elysia Fu, Wen Hui Lim, Jieling Xiao, Kai En Chan, Caitlyn Tan, Xin Lei Goh, Douglas Chee, Nicholas Syn, Eunice X. Tan, Mark Muthiah, Cheng Han Ng, Nobuharu Tamaki, Sung Won Lee, Beom Kyung Kim, Mindie H. Nguyen, Rohit Loomba, Daniel Q. Huang
Abstract
Summary Background Emerging data suggest that statins, aspirin and metformin may protect against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. However, prior meta‐analyses were limited by heterogeneity and inclusion of studies without adequate adjustment for baseline risks. Aim To examine by an updated meta‐analysis the association between these medications and HCC risk. Methods Medline and Embase databases were searched from inception to March 2022 for studies that balanced baseline risks between study groups via propensity score matching or inverse probability of treatment weighting, that reported the impact of statins, aspirin or metformin on HCC risk. Multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for HCC were pooled using a random effects model. Results Statin use was associated with reduced HCC risk overall (HR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.37–0.72) (10 studies, 1,774,476), and in subgroup analyses for cirrhosis, hepatitis B/C, non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease, studies accounting for concurrent aspirin and metformin consumption and lipophilic statins. Aspirin use was associated with reduced HCC risk overall (HR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.27–0.87) (11 studies, 2,190,285 patients) but not in studies accounting for concurrent statin and metformin use. Metformin use was not associated with reduced HCC risk overall (HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.31–1.06) (3 studies, 125,458 patients). Most analyses had moderate/substantial heterogeneity, except in follow‐up <60 months for aspirin ( I 2 = 0%). Conclusion Although statin and aspirin use were associated with reduced HCC risk, only statin use was significant in subgroup analyses accounting for concurrent medications. Metformin use was not associated with reduced HCC risk. These data have implications for future clinical trial design.