Table 3 Signals associated with increased cancer risk (exposure: any prescription)

Breast^§

Estrogen-HRT (OR = 1.26)

Metronidazole* (OR = 1.25)

Progestogen-HRT (OR = 1.28)

Bisoprolol (OR = 1.30)

Metronidazole* (OR = 1.26)

Progestogen-HRT (OR = 1.25)

Lung

Amoxicillin (OR = 1.40)

Azathioprine (OR = 1.56)

Cimetidine (OR = 1.39) Clarithromycin (OR = 1.34)

Codeine (OR = 1.31)

Dihydrocodeine (OR = 1.29)

Folic acid (OR = 1.49)^§

Ipratropium* (OR = 1.58)

Nitrazepam (OR = 1.35)

Nystatin (OR = 1.27)

Paracetamol (OR = 1.34)

Salbutamol* (OR = 1.44)

Salmeterol* (OR = 1.34)

Tiotropium* (OR = 1.75)

Amoxicillin (OR = 1.29)

Azathioprine (OR = 1.76)

Cimetidine (OR = 1.35)

Ipratropium * (OR = 1.43)

Nitrazepam (OR = 1.34)

Salbutamol* (OR = 1.35)

Salmeterol* (OR = 1.44)

Tiotropium* (OR = 1.63)

Colorectal

Allopurinol (OR = 1.27)

Prednisolone* (OR = 1.31)

Allopurinol (OR = 1.26)

Prostate^§§

Cerivastatin (OR = 1.43)

Clioquinol* (OR = 1.30)

Alfuzosin (OR = 1.66)

Clioquinol* (OR = 1.34)

Bladder

Celecoxib (OR = 1.40)

Dexamethasone* (OR = 1.30)

Nicotine (OR = 2.04)

Trimethoprim (OR = 1.96)

Cefalexin (OR = 1.37)

Ciprofloxacin (OR = 1.40)

Nicotine (OR = 1.54)

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (OR = 1.30)

Quinine (OR = 1.28)

Ranitidine (OR = 1.26)

Trimethoprim (OR = 1.92)

Malignant melanoma

Chloramphenicol* (OR = 1.28)

Clopidogrel (OR = 1.60)

Flucloxacillin (OR = 1.28)

Clopidogrel (OR 1.63)

Oesophagus

Alginic acid (OR = 1.40)

Azathioprine (OR = 2.47)

Cisapride (OR = 2.03)

Gramicidin* (OR = 1.52)

Lansoprazole (OR = 1.35)

Nicotine (OR = 1.50)

Nystatin (OR = 1.58)

Nystatin* (OR = 1.29)

Omeprazole (OR = 1.39)

Triamcinolone* (OR = 1.47)

Vitamin B (OR = 1.36)

Alginic acid (OR = 1.38)

Azathioprine (OR = 3.39)

Ipratropium* (OR = 1.45)

Lansoprazole (OR = 1.33)

Nystatin (OR = 1.65)

Nystatin* (OR = 1.36)

Omeprazole (OR = 1.29)

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Amoxicillin (OR = 1.34)

Betamethasone* (OR = 1.37)

Chlorhexidine* (OR = 1.67)

Clarithromycin (OR = 1.33)

Clobetasol* (OR = 1.73)

Erythromycin (OR = 1.26)

Hydroxyzine (OR = 1.75)

Methotrexate (OR = 2.93)

Prednisolone (OR = 1.37)

Prochlorperazine (OR = 1.30)

Betamethasone* (OR = 1.26)

Clobetasol* (OR = 1.72)

Erythromycin (OR = 1.28)

Leukaemia

Allopurinol (OR = 1.57)

Amoxicillin (OR = 1.29)

Trimethoprim (OR = 1.26)

Oxybutynin (OR = 1.93)

Oral (inc. head, neck, nasal)

Codeine (OR = 1.29)

Flucloxacillin (OR = 1.36)

Folic acid (OR = 2.52)^§

Nystatin (OR = 2.06)

Vitamin B (OR = 2.75)

Vitamin D (OR = 1.69)

Clobetasone* (OR = 1.41)

Nystatin (OR = 1.92)

Vitamin B (OR = 2.33)

Stomach

Cimetidine (OR = 1.44)

Clarithromycin (OR = 1.35)

Digoxin (OR = 1.49)

Vitamin B (OR = 1.54)

Codeine (OR = 1.35)

Nicotinates* (OR = 2.09)

Vitamin B (OR = 1.55)

Ovary^§

Phenytoin (OR = 3.24)

Rabeprazole (OR = 2.18)

Phenytoin (OR = 3.86)

Kidney

Amoxicillin (OR = 1.28)

Hydrochlorothiazide (OR = 1.93)

Perindopril (OR = 1.63)

Hydrochlorothiazide (OR = 2.21)

Perindopril (OR = 1.76)

Pancreas

Betamethasone* (OR = 1.34)

Nicotine (OR = 1.94)

Amoxicillin (OR = 1.31)

Cervix and other gynae^§

Dihydrocodeine (OR = 1.39)

Ranitidine (OR = 1.37)

–

Uterus^§

Atenolol (OR = 1.39)

Bendroflumethiazide (OR = 1.27)

Bisoprolol (OR = 1.82)

Doxazosin (OR = 1.68)

Enalapril (OR = 1.66)

Ibuprofen* (OR = 1.53)

Mefenamic acid (OR = 1.72)

Tranexamic acid (OR = 1.87)

Chlortalidone (OR = 2.14)

Enalapril (OR = 2.00)

Larynx

Benzydamine* (OR = 2.33)

Dextropropoxyphene (OR = 1.51)

Paracetamol (OR = 1.45)

Vitamin B (OR = 2.40)

Dextropropoxyphene (OR = 1.54)

Paracetamol (OR = 1.40)

Vitamin B (OR = 1.80)

Brain and CNS

Carbamazepine (OR = 2.20)

Zinc oxide* (OR = 1.97)

Myeloma

Amoxicillin (OR = 1.53)

Ciprofloxacin (OR = 1.73)

Amoxicillin (OR = 1.45)

Paracetamol (OR = 1.51)

Clioquinol* (OR = 2.52)

Thyroid

Gabapentin (OR = 5.13)

Levothyroxine (OR = 2.18)

Clarithromycin (OR = 2.10)

Flucloxacillin (OR = 1.70)

Folic acid (OR = 2.77)^§

Gabapentin (OR = 5.84)

Levothyroxine (OR = 2.21)

Mefenamic acid (OR = 2.30)

Anal

Clonidine (OR = 3.87)

Doxazosin (OR = 2.48)

Clonidine (OR = 4.49)

Doxazosin (OR = 2.76)

Theophylline (OR = 9.08)