Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as “statins” may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, especially in aggressive cases, according to a recent report published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
The study, conducted at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, compared statin use in 100 patients with prostate cancer referred for biopsy with that in 202 men without prostate cancer but with other shared characteristics. The study found 36 percent of participants with cancer had used statins, compared with 49 percent of the control group. This observation translated to a 62 percent reduction in prostate cancer rates for patients using statins after other potential risks were taken into account.
Data on statin use from 1997 to 2004 were provided by an electronic pharmacy database where duration of use, statin type and other related factors were recorded. Duration and intensity were calculated for each statin type based on length of use and prescribed dose.
The full report was published in the Aug. 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology; you can read the study abstract free online.
