Previous studies suggest that antiepileptic drugs with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor properties may have prostate cancer preventive effects. We evaluated the association between antiepileptic drug use and prostate cancer risk in a population-based case-control study. The study included all new prostate cancer cases diagnosed in Finland in 1995-2002 and matched controls (24,657 case-control pairs) identified from the Finnish Cancer Registry and the Population Register Center, respectively. Information on antiepileptic drug purchases was obtained from the national prescription reimbursement database. Odds ratios and their 95 % confidence intervals were estimated using age-adjusted and multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis. Compared to never-users of antiepileptic drugs, the overall prostate cancer risk was decreased among users of phenobarbital, carbamazepine, and valproic acid (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.47, 95 % CI 0.24-0.92; OR 0.82, 95 % CI 0.71-0.94, and OR 0.62, 95 % CI 0.42-0.92, respectively), but not among users of other antiepileptic drugs. Overall prostate cancer risk decreased in a dose-dependent manner by cumulative amount, duration and yearly dosage (intensity) of HDAC inhibitors valproic acid and carbamazepine. The risk of advanced prostate cancer was decreased only among carbamazepine users (OR 0.65, 95 % CI 0.44-0.96). Our results support possible prostate cancer preventive effects of HDAC inhibitors. However, also phenobarbital use was associated with decreased prostate cancer risk, despite not having HDAC inhibiting activity. The mechanism of action for antiepileptic drugs in prostate cancer deserves further study.

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor properties decrease prostate cancer (PCa) cell proliferation in vitro. A population-based cohort of 78 615 men was used to evaluate the risk of PCa among users of AEDs.Study population was linked to the Finnish national prescription database to obtain information on individual medication reimbursements in 1996 to 2015.Cox regression with antiepileptic medication use as a time-dependent variable was used to analyze PCa risk overall, and low, medium and high-risk PCa separately. The analysis was adjusted for age, screening trial arm, and other drugs in use, including statins, antidiabetic drugs, antihypertensive drugs, aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Compared to the nonusers of AEDs, overall PCa risk was decreased among AED users (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.76-0.96). A similar PCa risk decrease was observed among users of HDACi AEDs (HR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.76-1.01), but no risk difference was found when comparing HDACi AED users to users of other AEDs (HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.76-1.27). Our study showed a decrease in overall PCa risk among men using AEDs compared to nonusers. The risk associations were similar for HDAC inhibitors as for AEDs in general.

Background Drugs with histone deacetylase inhibitory (HDACi) properties have shown to decrease prostate cancer (PCa) cell growth in vitro. Methods A cohort of 9261 PCa cases from the Finnish Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (FinRSPC) was used to evaluate prostate cancer-specific mortality in men using anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). A national subscription database was used to obtain information on medication use. Cox regression with AED use as a time-dependent variable was used to analyse prostate cancer mortality in men using AEDs compared to non-users, and in men using HDACi AEDs compared to users of other AEDs. The analysis was adjusted for age, screening trial arm, PCa risk group, primary treatment of PCa, Charlson co-morbidity score and concomitant use of other drugs. Results The use of AEDs, in general, was associated with an increased risk of PCa death. The use of HDACi AEDs was not significantly associated with decreased PCa mortality compared to use of other AEDs (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.31–1.23). Conclusions AED usage is associated with elevated PCa mortality compared to non-users, likely reflecting the differences between men with epilepsy and those without. No benefit was observed from HDACi drugs compared to other AEDs.

Inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) is indeed an interesting mechanism that could, in theory, affect prostate cancer.However, epidemiological studies currently do not support cancerprotective association of inhibition of VGSCs or at least the results have been conflicting. [1][2][3] In epidemiological studies, confounding factors such as epilepsy and comorbidities closely associated with it affect the risk associations between users and nonusers of any antiepileptic drugs, VGSC drugs included. 4 Therefore, if evidence from preclinical studies is judged to be strong enough to warrant further evaluation of VGSC inhibition as therapeutic strategy in prostate cancer, phase I and II clinical trials will be eventually needed.