Use of analgesics and risk of renal cell cancer

Although heavy or long‐term use of analgesics has been related to risk of renal cell cancer in several studies, evidence for such an association remains inconclusive. In a populationbased case‐control study including 440 renal cell cancer cases, spouses of an additional 151 cases, and 691 controls, we assessed renal cell cancer risk associated with lifetime consumption among those who reported during in‐person interviews regular (at least 2 or more times per week for I month or longer) use of analgesics. Odds ratios (OR) were computed using logistic regression analyses. No excess risk was associated with regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen, phenacetin or combinations of these agents, nor did risks rise with increasing cumulative intake of these analgesics. A non‐significant increased risk (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 0.6–6.9) was observed among women who used only acetaminophen‐containing analgesics, but little excess was seen in men. Earlier studies reported a link to phenacetin‐containing analgesics, but no one reported exclusive use of phenacetin‐containing drugs in our study. The findings suggest that use of analgesics is not likely to play a major role in renal cell cancer development and that for cases diagnosed in the late 1980s or later, after the earlier withdrawal of phenacetin‐containing drugs from the market, a hazard from this analgesic no longer exists. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.