Dispensing of antineoplastic medications and their impact on the dispensing of anti-dementia drugs for adults aged ≥60 years: A cohort study

Abstract

History of cancer has been associated with decreased risk of dementia, but it is unclear if this is due to the use of antineoplastic medications. Participants were 442,795 adults aged ≥60 years, of whom 235,841 (53.26 %) were women. Those dispensed antineoplastic medications during 2012–2013 had lower odds of being dispensed an anti-dementia drug between 2015 and 2021 (age/sex-adjusted OR = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.55–0.66). The dispensing of antineoplastic medications was associated with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.72 (95%CI = 0.65–0.80) of subsequent dispensing of an anti-dementia drug. Understanding the mechanisms that support this association may contribute to the introduction of novel approaches to dementia prevention.