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Statins reduced risk for esophageal cancer
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Statin use was inversely associated with histologic subtypes of esophageal cancer, according to results of a nested case-control analysis performed in the United Kingdom.
Previous research suggested a possible chemoprotective effect of statins, as they have anti-carcinogenic capabilities.
In the current study, researchers evaluated the association between regular statin use and the main histologic subtypes of esophageal cancer in patients included in the UK General Practice Research Database who were diagnosed between 2000 and 2009. All patients were matched with up to four controls for age, sex and practice.
The final cohort included 581 patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma matched with 2,167 controls, 332 patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer matched with 1,242 controls, and 213 with esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma matched with 783 controls.
Researchers observed an inverse association between regular statin use and the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma (OR=0.58; 95% CI, 0.39−0.87). They also observed an inverse association between regular high-dose statin use and esophagogastric junctional adenocarcinoma (OR=0.29; 95% CI, 0.09−0.92).
Results also showed 1 to 4 years of statin use was inversely associated with esophageal squamous cell cancer (OR=0.51; 95% CI, 0.27−0.98).
“Randomized controlled trials are warranted to determine whether statins have chemopreventive effects in high-risk groups,” the researchers concluded.
Disclosure: See the study for a full list of the researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.
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