Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 27, 2026

Laparoscopic Anterior Right Hepatectomy: A Single-Center Experience
Published on: December 4, 2023
SSRIs associated with decreased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: A population-based case-control study
Hsiang-Lin Chan1,2, Wei-Che Chiu3,4, Vincent Chin-Hung Chen1,5
1Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Background:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cancer-related cause of mortality worldwide. Antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are commonly used worldwide. Available evidence investigating the association between SSRIs use and HCC risk is limited.
Objective:
The present study aimed to investigate if the effect of all kinds of SSRIs on HCC was the same or not using population-based study.
Methods:
The nationwide population-based study herein using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database included a total of 59 859 cases with HCC and 285 124 matched controls. Conditional logistic regression analyses were adjusted for confounding variables.
Results:
All common kinds of SSRIs including fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, and fluvoxamine were associated with lower HCC risk, and the findings were dose-dependent (eg, fluoxetine: 1-28 DDD [defined daily dose]: adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73-0.89; 29-365 DDD: aOR: 0.71, 95% CI, 0.64-0.79; and ≥366 DDD: aOR: 0.55, 95% CI, 0.45-0.67) (P for trend < .001).
Conclusions:
All kinds of SSRIs were associated with decreased risk of HCC.
Related Concept Videos
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists
Antidepressant Drugs: Overview
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
