Does Alzheimer's disease protect against cancers? A nationwide population-based study.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies suggested a decreased risk of cancer among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is still a lack of data on the specific types of cancer, the risk factors, and the impact of cholinesterase inhibitors on developing cancer in AD.


METHODS
We performed a nationwide population-based study of 6,960 patients with AD between 1997 and 2006 using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database. Patterns of cancer incidence in AD patients were compared with those of the general population using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs).


RESULTS
Patients with AD had a reduced risk of developing overall cancer [SIR = 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.80-0.97]. Specifically, patients with AD were protected from lung cancers (SIR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.57-0.98), especially men (SIR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.40-0.88). In subgroup analyses, women, patients aged 60-79 years, and those diagnosed as having AD for more than 1 year were more likely to be protected from cancers.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrates a decreased incidence of overall cancers in patients with AD, a finding lower than but consistent with Western countries. Patients with AD had a significantly decreased risk of lung cancer. Further investigation of genetic evidence linking AD to cancer is warranted.
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Shuo-Ming
SM
Ou
Yi-Jung
YJ
Lee
Yu-Wen
YW
Hu
Chia-Jen
CJ
Liu
Tzeng-Ji
TJ
Chen
Jong-Ling
JL
Fuh
Shuu-Jiun
SJ
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology