Do Statins Have Anti-Cancer Activity in Prostate Cancer?

PCRI’s Executive Director, Mark Scholz, MD, explains how the use of statins can improve outcomes in men with high-risk or advanced prostate cancer without a significant risk of complications.

0:02 Vegetarian diets have been shown to have an anti-prostate cancer effect because they lower cholesterol levels. LDL-Cholesterol is a building block for new cells and a precursor to testosterone—the fuel for prostate cancer cells. Statins mimic vegetarian diets by lowering LDL-cholesterol, and this is the theoretical basis for the hypothesis that statins have an anti-cancer effect.

0:51 While there are no rigorous prospective studies that have tested statins as an isolated treatment for prostate cancer, a number of retrospective studies have found that men who take statins alongside traditional treatments have better cure rates than men who do not take statins. Statins also have the advantage of reducing the chance of heart attacks, strokes, and possibly even Alzheimer's disease. They are well-tolerated without side effects in about 90% of men. If someone begins to experience issues on statins, then the treatment can be stopped early without any long-term complications.

1:48 The average LDL-cholesterol level for an American with a typical American diet is between 100-150. Men who begin to take statins for prostate cancer should aim to achieve a level around 60, the level recommended by cardiologists for men who have had a previous heart attack.

2:20 Men with low-grade and harmless cancers will probably not benefit from taking statins (at least as it concerns cancer), but men with high-risk or advanced prostate cancer should consider the use of statins since they have performed well in retrospective studies and they have few if any side effects for most men.

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