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Is statin use associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness?
Article first published online: 3 NOV 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2009.09007.x
© 2009 THE AUTHORS. JOURNAL COMPILATION © 2009 BJU INTERNATIONAL
Additional Information
How to Cite
Loeb, S., Kan, D., Helfand, B. T., Nadler, R. B. and Catalona, W. J. (2010), Is statin use associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness?. BJU International, 105: 1222–1225. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2009.09007.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 9 APR 2010
- Article first published online: 3 NOV 2009
- Accepted for publication 14 July 2009
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- statins;
- prostate cancer;
- prostatectomy;
- pathology;
- aggressive
Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4
OBJECTIVE
To further examine the association between statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) and pathological features in a large group of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP), as epidemiological studies have suggested that statins, in addition to their beneficial cardiovascular effects, might reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
From 2003 to 2009, 1351 men with data on preoperative statin use had RP by one surgeon. The clinical and pathological tumour features were compared between 504 users of statins and 847 who were not users.
RESULTS
Statin users were significantly older and had a higher mean body mass index than non-users. The preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen levels, tumour volume and percentage of cancer in the RP specimen were significantly lower in patients taking statins. Overall, statin users had a proportionately lower rate of adverse tumour pathology features, including a significantly lower risk of positive (cancerous) surgical margins.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that the use of statins might be associated with more favourable pathological features at RP. The long-term disease-specific outcomes and the underlying link between statins and prostate cancer require further investigation.