A B Steingart1, M Cotterchio. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
UNLABELLED: Do antidepressants cause, promote, or inhibit cancers? OBJECTIVE: To review all human and experimental studies that examined the association of antidepressants with cancer or the effect of antidepressants on neoplastic growth. METHODS: A search was conducted of MEDLINE for relevant articles published in English between 1976 and 1993. RESULTS: Four human studies and nine experimental models were found. The human studies showed a transiently statistically significant positive association between amitriptyline and liver cancer and a negative association with pancreatic cancer; and that the antidepressants amitriptyline, nortriptyline, desipramine, and phenelzine may increase risk of breast cancer. Results of the experimental studies differed depending on which antidepressants were examined and which model was used. Amitriptyline was found to promote tumour growth, fluoxetine and clomipramine were reported to be both tumour promoters and antineoplastic agents, and imipramine and citalopram both demonstrated antineoplastic properties. CONCLUSIONS: Further epidemiologic studies in humans are needed to determine which antidepressants cause, promote, or inhibit cancers.
UNLABELLED: Do antidepressants cause, promote, or inhibit cancers? OBJECTIVE: To review all human and experimental studies that examined the association of antidepressants with cancer or the effect of antidepressants on neoplastic growth. METHODS: A search was conducted of MEDLINE for relevant articles published in English between 1976 and 1993. RESULTS: Four human studies and nine experimental models were found. The human studies showed a transiently statistically significant positive association between amitriptyline and liver cancer and a negative association with pancreatic cancer; and that the antidepressants amitriptyline, nortriptyline, desipramine, and phenelzine may increase risk of breast cancer. Results of the experimental studies differed depending on which antidepressants were examined and which model was used. Amitriptyline was found to promote tumour growth, fluoxetine and clomipramine were reported to be both tumour promoters and antineoplastic agents, and imipramine and citalopram both demonstrated antineoplastic properties. CONCLUSIONS: Further epidemiologic studies in humans are needed to determine which antidepressants cause, promote, or inhibit cancers.
Authors: Gary D Friedman; Natalia Udaltsova; James Chan; Charles P Quesenberry; Laurel A Habel Journal: Cancer Causes Control Date: 2009-12 Impact factor: 2.506
Authors: Lisa Cosgrove; Ling Shi; David E Creasey; Maria Anaya-McKivergan; Jessica A Myers; Krista F Huybrechts Journal: PLoS One Date: 2011-04-06 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Jessica Chubak; Diana S M Buist; Denise M Boudreau; Mary Anne Rossing; Thomas Lumley; Noel S Weiss Journal: Breast Cancer Res Treat Date: 2007-12-06 Impact factor: 4.872
Authors: D P Cronin-Fenton; A H Riis; T L Lash; S O Dalton; S Friis; D Robertson; H T Sørensen Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2010-09-28 Impact factor: 7.640