Medication use and cancer

Drugs play a key role in medicine, including the treatment and prevention of cancer. We know that some medicines used to treat a disease other than cancer may increase the risk of developing cancer, while others may protect against cancer.

In pharmacoepidemiology, the use, safety, and effect (positive and negative) of drugs after they have been used in the population are studied.

The Cancer Registry conducts several pharmacoepidemiology research studies. Some of our researchers are studying the safety of drugs used in cancer treatment. An example is a study of the side effects of a drug used in the spread of cancer to the skeleton.

Some researchers study how common prescripted drugs affect the risk of cancer, while others study specifically, for example, how certain medicines can affect the immune system or sensitivity to UV radiation, which in turn can have an effect on mole cancer.

The Cancer Registry also has its own research group that focuses on vaccines against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that causes cervical cancer, among other things.

Ongoing projects

Use of prescripted drugs and cancer

Medications can affect cancer risk; menopausal hormone therapy can for instance influence the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. The aim of the project is to study associations between medication use and the risk of cancer and prognosis after a cancer diagnosis.

Prescribed drug use and cutaneous melanoma

Sun exposure is the most important risk factor of cutaneous melanoma, but several studies have suggested that some prescripted drugs also may play a part. This project aims to investigaste if prescripted drugs influence the risk of, and death due to cutaneous melanoma and provide better and more targeted prevention of cutaneous melanoma through the identification of high-risk persons.