Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23345544›Full record

SynthesisThe oncologist2013

Cancer risk for patients using thiazolidinediones for type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.

Cristina Bosetti, Valentina Rosato, Danilo Buniato, Antonella Zambon, Carlo La Vecchia, Giovanni Corrao

Open access · bronzeAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The oncologist, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 67 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
67citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
10.2field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

67 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 144 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Bladder cancer risk factors: a comprehensive umbrella review of meta-analyses.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2026
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  8. Uncovering hypothesis-generating associations between prescription drugs and digestive cancer risk: a case-control drug-wide association study (DWAS).Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology · 2026
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  17. Associations between Diabetes Mellitus and Selected Cancers.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024
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7 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Cristina BosettiDepartment of Epidemiology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via La Masa, 19 20156 Milano, Italy.
Valentina Rosato
Danilo Buniato
Antonella Zambon
Carlo La Vecchia
Giovanni Corrao
Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research · ITUniversity of Milan · ITUniversity of Milano-Bicocca · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo clarify and quantify the effect of thiazolidinediones (TZDs; e.g., pioglitazone, rosiglitazone) on the risk of bladder cancer, other selected cancers, and overall cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

methodsA PubMed/MEDLINE search was conducted for studies published in English up to June 30, 2012. Random-effect models were fitted to estimate summary relative risks (RR).

resultsSeventeen studies satisfying inclusion criteria (3 case-control studies and 14 cohort studies) were considered. Use of TZDs was not associated to the risk of cancer overall (summary RR: 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-1.01). A modest excess risk of bladder cancer was reported in pioglitazone (RR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.07-1.34 from six studies) but not in rosiglitazone (RR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.95-1.23 from three studies) users. The RRs of bladder cancer were higher for longer duration (RR: 1.42 for >2 years) and higher cumulative dose of pioglitazone (RR: 1.64 for >28,000 mg). Inverse relations were observed with colorectal cancer (RR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.90-0.97 from six cohort studies) and liver cancer (RR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.48-0.89 from four studies), whereas there was no association with pancreatic, lung, breast, and prostate cancers.

conclusionsAdequate evidence excludes an overall excess cancer risk in TZD users within a few years after starting treatment. However, there is a modest excess risk of bladder cancer, particularly with reference to pioglitazone. Assuming that this association is real, the potential implications on the risk-benefit analysis of TZD use should be evaluated.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2HumansNeoplasmsRisk FactorsThiazolidinedionesThiazolidinediones

Identifiers

PMID23345544
PMCPMC3579598
OpenAlexW2163886829

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.