Statins: no role in cancer prevention

[Guest guest]

Wednesday, January 4, 2006; Page A03Statin Drugs Not Linked To Cancer PreventionTwo new studies deal a double blow to hopes that cholesterol-lowering statin drugs could help prevent cancer as well as heart disease.In one, researchers analyzed 26 rigorous, randomized studies involving more than 73,000 patients and concluded that drugs such as top-selling Lipitor and Zocor had no effect on the risk of developing or dying from any form of cancer.The findings appear in today's Journal of the American Medical Association."We ended up showing no change in cancer or cancer death," said C. White of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, who led the analysis.The other study, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found that cholesterol-lowering drugs, including statins, did not prevent colorectal cancer.White said the findings should discourage doctors from prescribing the drugs solely to prevent cancer. Barrowpozbod@...