Cholesterol-lowering drugs reduce cancer mortality, according to doctors

Study: Cholesterol drugs are likely to reduce cancer mortality
When high cholesterol levels, patients are usually recommended a diet change. If this is not enough, cholesterol-lowering medications are often prescribed. These apparently have another positive effect: According to a new study, they could reduce cancer mortality.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs could lower cancer mortality
About every third German citizen has high cholesterol. An elevated cholesterol level can lead to diseases of the vessels, with possible consequences such as a heart attack or stroke. To lower the level, a change in diet is usually recommended. The many years of warnings about eggs and butter are, according to many health experts, but no longer here. Frequently, cholesterol-lowering drugs are also used. However, some experts say that they do more harm than good because they can cause muscle pain and increase the risk of diabetes. However, a study now reveals quite different - positive - effects of such drugs. Cholesterol-lowering drugs could lower cancer mortality, British researchers say.

Patients with high cholesterol often take medication to lower their levels again. Such medicines seem to have another positive effect. According to researchers, they could lower cancer mortality. (Image: jarun011 / fotolia.com)

Huge observational study with nearly one million participants
As a large observational study from the UK has shown, with nearly 930,000 patients, cardiovascular drugs, most likely the cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins), are likely to have a positive effect on cancer mortality. The study included the most common cancers, including lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. The results of the study by the research team around Dr. Paul Carter from the Aston Medical School in Birmingham at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in Florence (Italy).

Obesity and high cholesterol levels increase cancer risk
As reported by the internet portal "medicalxpress.com", Dr. Carter: "The discovery of the association between obesity and high cholesterol as risk factors for cancer was exciting for researchers and the public." And further: "Even more modern is the idea that when high cholesterol can cause cancer, cholesterol-lowering measures such as statins The study reported that 7,997 people had lung cancer from the 929,552 patients in the study, 5,481 women from breast cancer, 4,629 from prostate and 4,570 from colon cancer. It is said that elevated cholesterol levels are associated with a 22 percent lower risk of lung cancer death. According to the scientists, the death rate for breast cancer was 43 percent lower, for prostate cancer mortality was reduced by 47 percent and for colon cancer by 30 percent.

Not all patients can take the medication
"The extent is remarkable," Dr. Carter. "Our research suggests that anything related to the diagnosis of high blood lipid levels increases the likelihood of surviving cancer. The extent is striking for the four cancers. Based on previous research, there is a high probability that the statins will produce this effect. "Statins have been used for decades to treat excessive cholesterol levels. Lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol in the blood reduces the risk of atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis) and its sequelae. However, not all patients can take such medications. More recently, researchers in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported evidence of statin intolerance. Concerned sufferers, among other things, very strong muscle pain and cramps.

Aspirin is supposed to protect against cancer
According to experts, the effect of drugs on the cardiovascular system can not be explained solely by the cholesterol reduction. Statins are also anti-inflammatory. For example, an older study showed significantly lower overall mortality and also specific cancer mortality for statin users. In addition, scientists from the General Hospital of the City of Vienna (AKH) showed that cancer patients who regularly took statins have an almost 60 percent lower risk of thrombosis and embolism. It is well known that cancer patients are often affected by emboli. The authors of the current study advocate a major scientific study to further study the effect of drugs commonly used to treat cardiovascular disease on cancer mortality. These include, for example, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers and aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid / ASA). Numerous studies have suggested that aspirin should protect against cancer. In addition, scientists from the Netherlands reported on an investigation, according to which a longer aspirin intake doubled the survival rate in colorectal cancer. (Ad)