An analysis of more than 22000 people in Britain found that patients being treated for high cholesterol with statins were much less likely to die from the 4 most common cancers.
Although the study cannot prove that statins were responsible, scientists said it added weight to emerging evidence that the drug disrupts the growth of tumours. About 7 million people in Britain take statins to cut the risk of heart attacks. Recent studies have suggested that lowering cholesterol might also curb the growth of tumours.
Scientists used admissions to seven English hospitals over a decade to look at the link between cancer survival and a diagnosis of high cholesterol. For patients with such a diagnosis, the risk of death was cut by 47% in prostate cancer, 43% in breast cancer, 30% in bowel cancer and 22% in lung cancer.
Paul Carter of Aston University, lead author of the study, conceded he could not be sure if patients were taking statin and the effect could even be explained by high cholesterol itself.
As the report sounds interesting, to make it a worthwhile world-wide study it Would be a good idea to record cholesterol levels in all patients who are dying from cancer where ever they are.
The report was submitted by: Chris Smyth for the Times of London.