Statin use may reduce risk for liver cancer

The use of statins decreased the risk for primary liver cancer, especially in patients with liver disease and diabetes, according to newly published data.

 “The current study sought to examine, in a low-rate area, the statins–liver cancer relationship overall and among persons with liver disease and diabetes,” the researchers wrote. “The results of this study suggest that use of statins among persons at high risk of developing cancer, even in low-risk settings, may have a net cancer protective effect.”

Researchers, including Katherine A. McGlynn, PhD, of the division of cancer epidemiology and genetics at the National Cancer Institute, analyzed data from 1,195 patients with liver cancer enrolled in the United Kingdom’s Clinical Practice Research database between 1988 and 2011 and were matched with 4,640 controls at a 4-to-1 ratio. Researchers also conducted a chronic liver disease-matched analysis, in which controls with liver diseasewere matched to 170 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and liver disease, and control patients without liver disease were matched to 1,025 patients with HCC without liver disease. A diabetes-matched analysis was conducted, in which controls with diabetes were matched to 346 patients with HCC and diabetes, and controls without diabetes were matched to 849 patients with HCC without diabetes, according to the research.   

Overall, the use of statins was associated with a reduced risk for liver cancer (adjusted OR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.69), and was more common among current users (adjusted OR = 0.53; 95% CI, 0.42-0.66). Statin use was associated with a decreased risk for liver cancer in patients with liver disease (adjusted OR = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.17-0.57) and without liver disease (adjusted OR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.52-0.81). It also was associated with a decreased liver cancer risk in patients with diabetes (adjusted OR = 0.3; 95% CI, 0.21-0.42) and without diabetes (adjusted OR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.51-0.85).

“We found that statin use was associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer, overall,” McGlynn toldHealio.com/Hepatology. “This finding may have particular significance for individuals at increased risk of liver cancer due to the presence of chronic liver disease or diabetes, as our study found that statins were associated with reduced risk in the presence of these risk factors.” – by Melinda Stevens

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.

Source: www.healio.com