H1 antihistamine plus LTRA helps prevent lung cancer in patients with allergic diseases

The use of leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs), especially when combined with H1 antihistamines (H1AHs), can lower the risk of lung cancer in patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis, suggests a study.

On the other hand, careful consideration is warranted when prescribing glucocorticoids (GCs), which has been shown to have a potential association with an increased cancer risk.

Data from the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network was used in this retrospective cohort study, which enrolled patients aged 18‒90 years who had been diagnosed with asthma or allergic rhinitis.

The investigators categorized participants based on medication usage lasting more than 28 days, which defined the index date. They also estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs) for the incidence of primary lung cancer using Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for multivariable factors.

Patients treated with H1AHs alone showed a significantly higher risk of developing lung cancer than those treated with LTRAs alone (HR, 1.88, 95 percent CI, 1.32‒2.67) or a combination of H1AHs and LTRAs (HR, 1.49, 95 percent CI, 1.12‒1.98).

Furthermore, patients treated with H1AHs alone had a significantly lower risk of developing lung cancer than those on GCs alone (HR, 0.34, 95 percent CI, 0.20‒0.56) or on combined H1AHs and GCs (HR, 0.22, 95 percent CI, 0.14‒0.36).

Furthermore, these associations persisted at treatment durations of 6 and 8 weeks of medication usage.

“Lung cancer remains a major global health issue, potentially influenced by allergic diseases like asthma and allergic rhinitis via mast cell-driven inflammation,” the investigators said.