Statins Do Not Reduce The Risk Of Colon Cancer

Statins Do Not Reduce The Risk Of Colon Cancer.
Statins don't shame the gamble of colorectal cancer, and may even increase the chances of developing precancerous polyps, rejuvenated research suggests. Statins are widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs sold in a brand of generic forms and brand names, including Lipitor, Crestor and Zocor.

Yet, researchers stressed that the results are "not conclusive," and that bodies taking statins to lower cholesterol and reduce their imperil of heart attack should continue taking the drugs. "We found patients in this study taking statins for more than three years tended to bring out more premalignant colon lesions," said study author Dr Monica Bertagnolli, head of the division of surgical oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. "This is an gripping finding that needs to be followed up, but it should not raise alarm. No one should end taking their statins."

The study is to be presented Monday at the American Association for Cancer Research annual confluence in Washington, DC, and it is also published online in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. The facts used in the analysis was from an earlier clinical trial to determine if the cox-2 sedative celecoxib (Celebrex) could be used to prevent colon cancer.

That trial included 2035 individuals who were at high risk of colon cancer and had already been diagnosed with precancerous polyps, or adenomas. That study, published in 2006, found the celecoxib reduced the incident of adenomas, but it also more than doubled the risk of heart seizure and other serious cardiac events.