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Metformin use and prostate cancer risk: A meta-analysis of cohort studies
Zhaohan Feng1, Xiaofeng Zhou, Naibo Liu
1Department of Urology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.
Background:
The relationship between metformin use and the risk of prostate cancer is still inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of all eligible cohort studies to evaluate a potential association of metformin use with prostate cancer risk.
Methods:
A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed and Web of Science databases through July 2018. A DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was applied to calculate the pooled relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results:
Eighteen cohort or nested case-control studies were included in this study with a total of 52,328 cases. In a random-effect pooled analysis, metformin use was not significantly associated with the risk of prostate cancer (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.80-1.16, P = .711). Statistically significant heterogeneity was identified among included studies (P < .001, I = 98.1%). Sensitivity analysis indicated that no single study dominated the pooled RR.
Conclusion:
The present large meta-analysis of cohort studies did not find an association between metformin use and prostate cancer risk.
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