Postdiagnostic Statin Use Cuts Mortality in Prostate Cancer

Stronger effect on prostate cancer-linked, all-cause mortality for those with prediagnostic use
Postdiagnostic Statin Use Cuts Mortality in Prostate Cancer

THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- For men with prostate cancer, postdiagnostic statin use is associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer and all-cause mortality, with stronger effects seen for those who used statins before diagnosis, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

In a cohort of 11,772 men newly diagnosed with non-metastatic prostate cancer, Oriana Yu, Ph.D., from the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, and colleagues examined the correlation between use of statins after a prostate cancer diagnosis and the risk of cancer-related and all-cause mortality.

During a mean follow-up of 4.4 years, the researchers identified 3,499 deaths, including 1,791 prostate cancer-related deaths. The risks of prostate cancer mortality and all-cause mortality were significantly decreased with postdiagnostic statin use (hazard ratios, 0.76 and 0.86, respectively). For patients who also used statins before diagnosis, these decreased risks were more pronounced (hazard ratios, 0.55 and 0.66, respectively), while weaker effects were seen for patients who started statin treatment after diagnosis (hazard ratios, 0.82 and 0.91, respectively).

"In summary, the results of this study indicate that the use of statins after a prostate cancer diagnosis is associated with a decreased risk of cancer-related mortality and all-cause mortality," the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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