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Associations Between Hiccups and Subsequent Cancer Diagnoses : A Population-Based Cohort Study

Jansåker, Filip LU orcid ; Li, Xinjun LU and Sundquist, Kristina LU (2025) In Cancer Medicine 14(23).
Abstract

Background: Several case reports have recounted hiccups as a possible symptom of cancer, but potential associations in large study samples have not been examined. Methods: This population-based cohort study examined associations between hiccups and subsequent cancer diagnoses. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Of 8466 patients diagnosed with hiccups during the study period (1997–2018), 7531 (89.0%) were men, 4013 (47.4%) were diagnosed in primary healthcare, and 325 (3.8%) were diagnosed with cancer. In men, hiccups were associated with nervous system (SIR 1.94; 95% CI, 1.08–3.20), hematologic (1.52; 1.17–1.93), and gastrointestinal (1.61; 1.36–1.89) cancers, including... (More)

Background: Several case reports have recounted hiccups as a possible symptom of cancer, but potential associations in large study samples have not been examined. Methods: This population-based cohort study examined associations between hiccups and subsequent cancer diagnoses. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Of 8466 patients diagnosed with hiccups during the study period (1997–2018), 7531 (89.0%) were men, 4013 (47.4%) were diagnosed in primary healthcare, and 325 (3.8%) were diagnosed with cancer. In men, hiccups were associated with nervous system (SIR 1.94; 95% CI, 1.08–3.20), hematologic (1.52; 1.17–1.93), and gastrointestinal (1.61; 1.36–1.89) cancers, including esophageal (2.63; 1.47–4.43), stomach (2.27; 1.42–3.45), colon (1.61; 1.23–2.08), and liver (1.77; 1.05–2.80) cancers. In women, hiccups were associated with gastrointestinal cancer (2.23; 1.27–3.63). Particularly strong associations were observed within 12 months of follow-up. Conclusion: These findings may be useful for clinical practice and could provide foundations for detailed clinical studies on hiccups as a potential clinical cancer marker.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cancer, cohort, hiccough, hiccups, singultus
in
Cancer Medicine
volume
14
issue
23
article number
e71441
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:41319203
  • scopus:105023334286
ISSN
2045-7634
DOI
10.1002/cam4.71441
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bb53652c-cf02-4c1d-83b9-6d90e6add0e5
date added to LUP
2026-01-14 13:08:36
date last changed
2026-01-28 14:31:02
@article{bb53652c-cf02-4c1d-83b9-6d90e6add0e5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Several case reports have recounted hiccups as a possible symptom of cancer, but potential associations in large study samples have not been examined. Methods: This population-based cohort study examined associations between hiccups and subsequent cancer diagnoses. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Of 8466 patients diagnosed with hiccups during the study period (1997–2018), 7531 (89.0%) were men, 4013 (47.4%) were diagnosed in primary healthcare, and 325 (3.8%) were diagnosed with cancer. In men, hiccups were associated with nervous system (SIR 1.94; 95% CI, 1.08–3.20), hematologic (1.52; 1.17–1.93), and gastrointestinal (1.61; 1.36–1.89) cancers, including esophageal (2.63; 1.47–4.43), stomach (2.27; 1.42–3.45), colon (1.61; 1.23–2.08), and liver (1.77; 1.05–2.80) cancers. In women, hiccups were associated with gastrointestinal cancer (2.23; 1.27–3.63). Particularly strong associations were observed within 12 months of follow-up. Conclusion: These findings may be useful for clinical practice and could provide foundations for detailed clinical studies on hiccups as a potential clinical cancer marker.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jansåker, Filip and Li, Xinjun and Sundquist, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{2045-7634}},
  keywords     = {{cancer; cohort; hiccough; hiccups; singultus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{23}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Cancer Medicine}},
  title        = {{Associations Between Hiccups and Subsequent Cancer Diagnoses : A Population-Based Cohort Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cam4.71441}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/cam4.71441}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}