Statins are not associated with a higher incidence of cancer, according to a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials involving more than 97,000 patients.
Previous research reported an association between on-treatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and cancer in patients on statins. Authors reviewed data from 15 trials of 51,797 patients given statins and 45,043 given placebo. The patients were followed for an average of about 4.5 years, or 437,017 patient years of follow-up. There were 5,752 cancer cases. Researchers reported their findings in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Meta-regression analysis of the treatment arms of the studies showed an inverse association between treating LDL-C levels with statins and cancer, with 2.2 (95% CI, 0.7 to 3.6) fewer cancers per 1,000 person-years for every 10 mg/dL decrease in treating LDL (P= 0.006). The difference among control arms was 1.2 (95% CI, –0.2 to 2.7; P= 0.09). Meta-regression analysis showed that statins did not affect cancer risk for any levels of treatment.
The study also found a relationship between on-treatment LDL-C levels and cancer in patients not treated with statins.
Researchers concluded that statin-treated patients lower their LDL-C with no extra cancer risk.
Previous research reported an association between on-treatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and cancer in patients on statins. Authors reviewed data from 15 trials of 51,797 patients given statins and 45,043 given placebo. The patients were followed for an average of about 4.5 years, or 437,017 patient years of follow-up. There were 5,752 cancer cases. Researchers reported their findings in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Meta-regression analysis of the treatment arms of the studies showed an inverse association between treating LDL-C levels with statins and cancer, with 2.2 (95% CI, 0.7 to 3.6) fewer cancers per 1,000 person-years for every 10 mg/dL decrease in treating LDL (P= 0.006). The difference among control arms was 1.2 (95% CI, –0.2 to 2.7; P= 0.09). Meta-regression analysis showed that statins did not affect cancer risk for any levels of treatment.
The study also found a relationship between on-treatment LDL-C levels and cancer in patients not treated with statins.
Researchers concluded that statin-treated patients lower their LDL-C with no extra cancer risk.
