A meta-analysis of previous studies has shown that the statins, cholesterol-lowering medications, do not appear to reduce the incidence of cancer or cancer deaths.

Other studies have suggested that statins reduce the risk of developing cancer.

" Statins have been studied in numerous large-scale, randomized, active- or placebo-controlled trials for primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. In these trials, statins reduced the risk of a first myocardial infarction and overall mortality. With long-term follow-up and collection of cancer data in a majority of studies, insight into the risk of cancer among statin-naïve persons and statin users can be derived," the authors write.

C. Michael White, from the University of Connecticut and Hartford Hospital, and colleagues, conducted a search of the medical literature from 1966 through July 2005 to identify randomized controlled trials of statins.
They found 27 articles ( n = 86,936 participants ) that met their criteria for inclusion, reporting 26 randomized controlled trials of statins with data on either cancer incidence ( n = 20 studies ) or cancer death ( n = 22 studies ).

" In our current meta-analysis, statins did not reduce the incidence of cancer or cancer death," the authors report. " No reductions were noted for cancers of the breast, colon, gastrointestinal tract, prostate, respiratory tract, or melanoma when statins were used." The authors continue, "… the patients in our meta-analysis were primarily treated with simvastatin and pravastatin. As such, we evaluated pravastatin alone and simvastatin alone on cancer incidence and death and found no impact."

" Statins have a neutral effect on cancer and cancer death risks in randomized controlled trials," the authors write in conclusion. " We could find no type of cancer that statins benefited or subtype of statin that reduced the risk of cancer.

Source: American Medical Association, 2006


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