SynthesisMedicine2025
Opium use and oral cancer in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOral cancer remains a global health burden with persistent low survival rates. While alcohol and tobacco are established risk factors, emerging evidence highlights opium use as a potential carcinogen. This review investigates the association between opium consumption and oral cancer development.
methodsAdhering to PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search of Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus (inception to February 2025) identified observational studies. Odds ratios were computed utilizing a random-effects model. Heterogeneity, sensitivity, publication bias, and study quality (JBI/GRADE frameworks) were assessed.
resultsSix studies (5 case-control, 1 cohort; total sample = 64,412) from Iran were included. Meta-analysis revealed a significant association between opium use and oral cancer (pooled OR = 1.85, 95% CI:1.24-2.57; P = .002), with substantial heterogeneity (I²=78.03%). Sensitivity analysis confirmed robustness, and no publication bias was detected (Egger test P = .51).
conclusionOpium consumption is associated with a nearly 2-fold increased risk of oral cancer, reinforcing its classification as a Group 1 carcinogen. Findings underscore the need for public health interventions in opium-endemic regions, including education, cessation programs, and oral cancer screening integration. The global diversification of research is critical to validate these associations in diverse populations. This study emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration to mitigate opium-related carcinogenesis.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.