Click here to stream the trial lecture
Due to copyright issues, an electronic copy of the thesis must be ordered from the faculty. For the faculty to have time to process the order, the order must be received by the faculty at the latest 2 days before the public defence. Orders received later than 2 days before the defence will not be processed. After the public defence, please address any inquiries regarding the thesis to the candidate.
Trial Lecture – time and place
See Trial Lecture.
Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Jesper Hallas, University of Southern Denmark,
- Second opponent: Professor Eva Skovlund, Norwegian University of Science and Technology,
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Associate Professor Cecilie Dahl, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor Haakon E. Meyer, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Senior Researcher Edoardo Botteri, Cancer Registry of Norway, Norwegian Insititute of Public Health
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a social and public health challenge globally. Despite efforts such as raising awareness of unhealthy lifestyles, implementing screening programs, and developing advanced treatments, the CRC incidence and mortality rates remain high. Seeking more ways to address this critical public health issue is crucial. Repurposing safe and inexpensive non-cancer drugs could be an attractive strategy to decrease CRC incidence and mortality. This thesis explores the potential of repurposing four promising drugs, namely low-dose aspirin, statins, beta-blockers, and metformin, for CRC prevention and treatment through three studies.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Bowel Cancer Screening pilot trial in Norway. The association between low-dose aspirin use prior to screening and the detection of colorectal polyps and cancer was studied. The findings showed a lower detection of colorectal adenomas and cancer among those who used low-dose aspirin for at least three years. In a nationwide registry-based cohort study, the association between low-dose aspirin and CRC risk was assessed. The findings showed that low-dose aspirin use was associated with a lower risk of CRC. In another nationwide registry-based cohort study including patients diagnosed with CRC, the association between the use of aspirin, metformin, statins, and β-blockers and CRC-specific death was studied. The findings indicated that the use of low-dose aspirin and statins was associated with a reduced risk of death from CRC.
Overall, this thesis provided compelling evidence that suggests a protective effect of low-dose aspirin against CRC and a possible therapeutic effect of low-dose aspirin and statins in CRC patients. These findings highlight the potential of drug repurposing as a valuable strategy that offers new avenues for the prevention and treatment of CRC.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.