In a nutshell
This study looked at the association between breast cancer (BC) prognosis and statin use. The authors found that statin use is associated with a reduced recurrence and mortality in women with BC.
Some background
BC is one of the most common forms of cancer found in women. With many governments having a screening program and medical treatments, the number of long-term survivors is increasing.
Statins are a group of drugs used to lower blood cholesterol levels. Statins have been used as a preventative treatment for heart disease. There has been recent work that has shown that statins have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity. However, the exact association of statins with BC outcomes remains unclear.
Methods & findings
There were 17 studies analyzed for this article. The studies included 168,700 women with BC, overall. The follow-up period in these studies ranged from 3 to 7 years.
Statin use was associated with a 28% lower risk of BC recurrence. Statin use was also associated with a 20% lower risk of mortality from BC. Statin type, duration, or timing of statin treatment did not influence this reduced risk.
The bottom line
The authors concluded that statin use leads to a reduced recurrence and mortality in women with BC.
The fine print
This was an analysis of several different studies. Protocols and definitions varied between studies. This may have influenced the results.
Published By :
Frontiers in oncology
Date :
Nov 13, 2020
