Statins increase cancer survival
Statins increase cancer survival
This study says:
In conclusion, statin users, particularly simvastatin users, had a lower risk of breast cancer related deaths compared to non-users in this nationwide cohort of Swedish women with breast cancer diagnosed after the age of 40.
Ovarian Cancer
The following excerpts relate to a study presented to the The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR):
The researchers linked data from the Finnish national cancer registry to prescription claims on 10,062 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer between 1995 and 2015 to examine the association between pre- and post-diagnostic statin use and ovarian cancer mortality. Of the 10,062 patients, 2,621 used statins, and 80 percent of those used lipophilic statins. The median age at diagnosis was 62 overall, and 67 among statin users…Use of any statins was associated with a 40 percent reduction in ovarian cancer mortality compared with patients who never used statins. Lipophilic statins specifically were associated with a 43 percent reduction in ovarian cancer mortality.
Women with all subtypes of ovarian cancer experienced a reduction in mortality, but the magnitude of reduction varied. The most significant reductions in mortality occurred in those with high-grade serous carcinoma (40 percent reduction in mortality) and endometrioid ovarian cancer (50 percent reduction in mortality).
Breast and other cancers
This study says: Many clinical studies have demonstrated that statins can influence carcinogenesis and cancer progression. While statins do not affect the incidence of most cancers, they do exert significant benefits on recurrence and survival in many cancer types, including breast cancer. Importantly, statin recurrence and mortality benefits are most strongly seen with lipophilic statins.
Colorectal cancer
This study of 29,498 colorectal cancer patients concluded: Statin use at the time of cancer diagnosis is associated with improved overall survival. The benefit of statin use seems to persist regardless of cancer stage, location, and presence of other cardiovascular comorbidities
Policosanol – safer than statin
Policosanols are long-chain aliphatic alcohols that are found in natural sources including beeswax and sugar cane.
This study says:
…policosanol, a mixture of long-chain aliphatic alcohols extractable from sugar cane wax, has shown cholesterol-lowering potency comparable to that of statins, and yet appears to be devoid of toxic risk.
Cancer stem cells
Our findings identify the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway as central for CSC [cancer stem cell] propagation and a potential therapeutic target, as well as providing a mechanistic explanation for the therapeutic benefit of statins in breast cancer.
Page updated 2023