Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using and risk of head and neck cancer: a dose–response meta analysis of prospective cohort studies

Conflicting results identifying the relationship between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using and head and neck cancer risk. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to clarify and quantitative assessed the relationship between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using and head and neck cancer risk. Up to March 2017, 11 original publications were included in this meta-analysis. Our results showed statistically significant association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using and head and neck cancer risk reduction. Subgroups analysis indicated that Aspirin, COX 2 inhibitors, Ibuprofen and Other NSAIDs were associated with a significantly risk reduction of head and neck cancer. Furthermore, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using was associated with a significantly lower risk of oral and oropharynx cancer, larynx cancer and hypopharynx cancer. In addition, increasing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using (per 2 prescriptions/week increment) was associated with a 4% reduction in head and neck cancer risk, 5% reduction of aspirin using and 6% reduction of other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using. Considering these promising results, increasing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using might provide health benefits. More studies and large sample size are warranted to validate this association.