Effects of Statin, Aspirin or Metformin Use on Recurrence-Free and Overall Survival in Patients with Biliary Tract Cancer.

The impact of statins, aspirin and metformin use on recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC) has not been evaluated.Baseline demographics/comorbidity and use of statins, aspirin or metformin at diagnosis were evaluated in patients with BTC from January/1987-July/2013.Median age at diagnosis; 65.7 years, performance status < 2; 795 patients, male; 461 (50.5%). Among 913 patients; 151 (16.5%) reported statin use at diagnosis, 146 (16%) aspirin use, and 81 (9%) metformin use. Charlson Comorbidity index score was not significantly associated with RFS or OS. Stage was prognostic on multivariable analysis for RFS and OS (both P ≤ 0.001) and age, performance status ≥ 2 and site were also prognostic for OS (P < 0.05, P < 0.001, and P < 0.05 respectively). Recurrence-free and OS among statin-users and nonusers was similar (RFS Hazard Ratio [HR]1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78 - 1.58, P = 0.57), (OS HR0.98, 95% CI 0.77-1.24, P = 0.86), and among aspirin-users and nonusers (RFS HR0.83, 95% CI 0.57-1.23, P = 0.35), (OS HR1.07, 95% CI 0.85 - 1.34, P = 0.58), and among metformin-users and non-users (RFS HR0.75, 95% CI 0.43-1.30, P = 0.30), (OS HR0.96, 95% CI 0.69-1.33, P = 0.79).In this large retrospective cohort of BTC patients, comorbidity, statin, aspirin or metformin use did not have significant effects on RFS or OS.