International journal of cancer. Journal international du cancer
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Meta Analysis
Analgesic use and the risk of kidney cancer: a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies.
Analgesics are the most commonly used over-the-counter drugs worldwide with certain analgesics having cancer prevention effect. The evidence for an increased risk of developing kidney cancer with analgesic use is mixed. Using a meta-analysis design of available observational epidemiologic studies, we investigated the association between analgesic use and kidney cancer risk. ⋯ Similar increases in risks were seen with higher analgesic intake. In this largest meta-analysis to date, we found that acetaminophen and non-aspirin NSAIDs are associated with a significant risk of developing kidney cancer. Further work is needed to elucidate biologic mechanisms behind these findings.
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Sorafenib, a multitargeted antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the standard of care for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cumulating evidence suggests that sorafenib differentially affects immune cells; however, whether this immunomodulatory effect has any impact on antitumor immune responses is unknown. Using an orthotopic mouse model of HCC and tumor-free mice, we investigated the effects of sorafenib on antitumor immunity and characterized the underlying mechanisms. ⋯ These data reveal that sorafenib treatment enhanced functions of tumor-specific effector T cells as well as relieved PD-1-mediated intrinsic and Treg-mediated non-cell-autonomous inhibitions in tumor microenvironment leading to effective antitumor immune responses. In addition to the well-known tumor-inhibiting activity of sorafenib, its enhancement of antitumor immunity may also contribute to the clinical efficacy. Our findings uncover a previously unrecognized mechanism of action of sorafenib and indicate that sorafenib represents a potential targeted agent suitable to be combined with immunotherapeutic approaches to treat cancer patients.