Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28101676›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2017

Patterns of statin initiation and continuation in patients with breast or colorectal cancer, towards end-of-life.

Amelia Smith, Laura Murphy, Kathleen Bennett, Thomas I Barron

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 35% 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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Amelia SmithTrinity Centre for Health Sciences, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. smitha25@tcd.ie.
Laura MurphyDivision of Population Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
Kathleen BennettDivision of Population Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
Thomas I BarronTrinity Centre for Health Sciences, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland · IESt. James's Hospital · IETrinity College Dublin · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeCross-sectional studies show that statins, used in cardiovascular disease prevention, are often discontinued approaching death. Studies investigating associations between statin exposure and cancer outcomes, not accounting for these exposure changes, are prone to reverse causation bias. The aim of this study was to describe longitudinally the changes in statin initiation and continuation prior to death in patients with breast or colorectal cancer, thus establishing an appropriate exposure lag time.

methodsThis study was carried out using linked cancer registry and prescribing data. We identified patients who died of their cancer (cases) and cancer survivors were used as controls. The probability of initiating or continuing statin use was estimated up to 5 years prior to death (or index date). Conditional binomial models were used to estimate relative risks and risk differences for associations between approaching cancer death and statin use.

resultsCompared to controls, the probability of continued statin use in breast cancer cases was significantly lower 3 months prior to death (RR 0.86 95% CI 0.79, 0.94). Similarly, in colorectal cancer cases, the probability of continued statin use was significantly lower 3 months prior to colorectal cancer death (RR 0.77 95% CI 0.68, 0.88).

conclusionA significant proportion of patients will cease statin treatment in the months prior to a colorectal or breast cancer death.

Indexed as

AgedBreast NeoplasmsColorectal NeoplasmsCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsMaleTerminal CareHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsBreast cancerColorectal cancerEnd-of-lifeEpidemiologyStatins

Identifiers

PMID28101676
PMCPMC5378743
OpenAlexW2572657051

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.