Objective: To perform meta-analyses using observational studies to assess the association between the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the risk of colorectal cancer.
Methods: A systematic search of relevant studies published through February 2012 was carried out using the Medline (PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. We reviewed the observational studies that were associated with our subject and carried out a meta-analysis.
Results: Out of 324 screened articles, six observational studies were included in the final analyses. According to this meta-analysis, the use of SSRIs was not associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer in pooled analyses (adjusted odds ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.79-1.01). This finding was consistently observed in subgroup analyses of study area, location of colorectal cancer, duration of SSRI use, study quality, adjustment for NSAID use, and the prevalence of overweight.
Conclusion: Our research shows that the use of SSRIs does not increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm the association between SSRIs and colorectal cancer.