While evidence is still not clear if the cholesterol lowering drugs called statin, can prevent cancer, there have been many studies that have shown such a correlation.
Statins:
- Statins are a class of drugs that can lower the bad cholesterol called low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase.
- A number of studies have shown patients with prostate cancer who take statin drugs:
- had a lower risk of relapse after radiation therapy
- or had lower risk of developing advanced prostate cancer.
- There has also been evidence that statin drugs may lower risk of breast cancer in women.
- A case control study on female veterans showed women who took statin drugs had 51% lower risk of developing breast cancer.
- In another study involving nearly half million veterans in the South Central VA Health Care Network found that statin drugs lowered the risk of lung cancer by 48%.
However, in a meta-analysis published in JAMA in 2006, no evidence was found that statins reduced cancer incidence or death.
Statin drugs are normally well tolerated, but can cause side effects such as muscle damage and liver damage.
If you need to take statin drugs for lowering cholesterol, you should discuss it with your primary care physician.
Currently statin drugs are not indicated for preventing cancer, but only for lowering bad cholesterol. Controlling cholesterol is important in lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke.
To learn more about statins and cancer, you may follow this link to the NCI website on statins and cancer prevention.
