Relationship between antidepressant prescription and breast cancer: a population based study in Taiwan

Psychooncology. 2016 Jul;25(7):803-7. doi: 10.1002/pon.3929. Epub 2015 Aug 14.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association between antidepressant prescription and breast cancer.

Methods: The National Health Research Institute in Taiwan provided a database of 1 000 000 random subjects for this study. We identified 14 737 new antidepressant female users who were more than 15 years old during 1999-2005 with at least 10 prescriptions and one year exposure to an antidepressant. These were matched 1:1 by age and residence to non-antidepressant users from the same database to compare the risk of breast cancer.

Results: In a model adjusted by age, residence, insurance amount, and depressive disorder, antidepressant prescription was not associated with breast cancer risk. This held true for both selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants.

Conclusions: There was no evidence for an association between antidepressant prescription and the risk of breast cancer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antidepressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / etiology
  • Comorbidity
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy*
  • Depressive Disorder / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Research Design
  • Risk Factors
  • Taiwan / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic