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Nitric oxide-releasing medications and colorectal cancer risk: the framingham study

Joshua E Muscat1, Anne-Marie Dyer, Raphael E Rosenbaum

  • 1Department of Health Evaluation Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.

Anticancer Research
|December 13, 2005
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Nitric oxide (NO) from medications like nitroglycerin does not appear to affect colorectal cancer risk. Further research is needed, especially concerning NO-donating aspirin use.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Nitric oxide (NO) is released by medicinal nitrovasodilators, a common source of human exposure.
  • Experimental NO-donating aspirin inhibits colon cancer in vitro.
  • Understanding NO's role in cancer risk is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between nitrovasodilator use and colorectal cancer risk.
  • To explore potential modifying effects of aspirin on this association.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study within the Framingham Heart and Offspring studies.
  • Involved 145 colorectal cancer cases and 433 matched controls.
  • Conditional logistic regression analysis was used.

Main Results:

  • 11% of controls used nitroglycerin or long-lasting nitrates.
  • Overall odds ratio for colorectal cancer with nitrovasodilator use was 1.2 (95% CI 0.6, 2.2).
  • Subgroup analysis showed an odds ratio of 0.7 (95% CI 0.2, 2.2) in aspirin users and 1.6 (95% CI 0.8, 3.2) in non-aspirin users.

Conclusions:

  • Current data suggest nitric oxide (NO) does not alter colorectal cancer risk.
  • The study did not find a significant association between nitrovasodilator use and colorectal cancer.
  • Further investigation into NO-donating aspirin's role is warranted.

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