This article discusses the use of statin drugs in relation to a reduction in lethal prostate cancer development. Patients at risk of cardiovascular disease use statins to treat illnesses. In a study conducted in the United Kingdom, researchers examined the relationship between statin use and the development of lethal prostate cancer among 44,126 men from 1990 to 2014 (“Current Statin Use May Lower Risk for Lethal Prostate Cancer”, 2019). After 24 years of follow-up, 6,305 of the 44,126 men found to have prostate cancer had been diagnosed. Further studies were conducted on this sample of 6,305 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in order to determine whether they developed the lethal form of the disease. A treated group would be one diagnosed with prostate cancer and exposed to statins, while a control group would be one diagnosed but not exposed to statins. Statin users had a hazard ratio of 0.76 with a 95% confidence interval between 0.60 and 0.96. This means that with 95% certainty, the hazard rate of developing lethal prostate cancer in the treated group is 3/5 to 24/25. Due to the specification of having a 95% confidence interval, it makes sense that the interval of the hazard ratio is wide. Using statins in people diagnosed with prostate cancer may decrease the risk of developing lethal prostate cancer, according to the data.
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Current statin use may lower risk for lethal prostate cancer. (2019, December 2). Retrieved December 2, 2019, from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-12-current-statin-lethal-prostatecancer.html Links to an external site..