Rofecoxib and Cardiovascular Adverse Events in Adjuvant Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 357; no. 4; pp. 360 - 369
• Main Authors: Kerr, David J, Dunn, Janet A, Langman, Michael J, Smith, Justine L, Midgley, Rachel S.J, Stanley, Andrew, Stokes, Joanne C, Julier, Patrick, Iveson, Claire, Duvvuri, Ravi, McConkey, Christopher C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 26.07.2007
• Subjects: Adenoma - prevention & control; Adenoma - surgery; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer therapies; Cardiovascular Diseases - chemically induced; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - mortality; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - prevention & control; Colorectal Neoplasms - surgery; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors - adverse effects; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Disease prevention; Drug therapy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; General aspects; Humans; Incidence; Lactones - adverse effects; Lactones - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - prevention & control; Risk; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Sulfones - adverse effects; Sulfones - therapeutic use; Surgery; Tumors; Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase; Rectal disease; Rofecoxib; Enzyme; Toxicity; Colorectal cancer; Adjuvant treatment; Enzyme inhibitor; Cardiovascular disease; Cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor; Malignant tumor; Colonic disease; Non steroidal antiinflammatory agent; Medicine; Secondary effect; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Complication; Oxidoreductases

In this clinical trial, rofecoxib (25 mg per day) was studied in the prevention of recurrent colorectal cancer. Although the median duration of study treatment was only 7.4 months, rofecoxib therapy was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events (relative risk as compared wit...