Statins have been used effectively to lower cholesterol as well as to prevent heart disease. However, statin use is not effective in all cases. Lung cancer is not affected by statins, as a study shows.
There is much interest for statins aside from its role against cholesterol and heart disease. There are studies that have come out about statins being used against cancer. Much interest has been seen because statins seem to have an effect in preventing cancer development.
However, a study made by researchers from the Imperial College London and the University College London shows that statins aren't as effective with lung cancer. The study shows that statins when used with chemotherapy isn't as effective. The researchers say that any study looking into statin use on cancer should consider this.
Statins are used to lower cholesterol levels. Cholesterol also has a role in cancer development, and some thought that using statins to lower cholesterol could reduce cancer development. By using statins, as the theory goes, cancer survival could be increased.
The research team from the Imperial College London used the leading statin treatment in their study. Pravastatin was used on small cell lung cancer, which is one of the most aggressive types of lung cancers. The study was made on 846 patients from 91 hospitals in the UK, according to the Imperial College London's site.
The study had patients either use a placebo or pravastatin. The patients were then monitored for two years to see the result, as Science Daily reports. After two years, the study has shown that pravastatin had no effect in the fight against lung cancer.
Professor Michael Seckl is the lead author of the study and a professor of Medicine from Imperial College London. He has said that patients have been prescribed by doctors to take pravastatin as a way to counter cancer. He has also said that it is unlikely that other statins could have a different effect on lung cancer.
Research on statins will continue on a cellular level, though so far it is clear that lung cancer is not affected by statins. Doctors still see much benefit of it though for heart disease and stroke. A study has found that urinary incontinence in menopausal women might prevent exercise.
