Statins Cut Risk of Colon Cancer

Stephen Gruber Photo: Lin Jones

Taking cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins reduces the risk of colon cancer by nearly half, even in people with a family history of the disease or other risk factors, according to a study by researchers at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center and School of Public Health.

Statins have been shown to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease, but scientists don’t know why they also appear to have a protective effect against cancer, says Stephen Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of internal medicine and human genetics at the Medical School and associate professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health, who directed the research.

The study was based on interviews and analysis of medical records for nearly 4,000 people in northern Israel. About half the study participants had colorectal cancer and half did not. Those without colon cancer were nearly twice as likely to report taking statins for at least five years. Results were published May 26 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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For an expanded version of the story:
www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2005/statins.htm

For patient information on colon cancer:
www.cancer.med.umich.edu/learn/coloninfo.htm