Statin Use Linked to Improved Survival in Advanced Prostate Cancer Patients on Hormone Therapy

[Samrecan]

A systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open examined the association between statin use and mortality among men undergoing androgen-ablative therapies for advanced prostate cancer. The analysis included 12 studies with a total of 87,346 patients. Findings indicated that postdiagnostic statin use was associated with a 27% reduction in overall mortality and a 24% reduction in prostate cancer–specific mortality. These results suggest that statin use may improve survival outcomes in this patient population

jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...

[Bfit01]

makes sense sin hormone therapy does a number on all cardiac markers…

[IKNY in reply to Bfit01]

I was on a statin as a prophylaxis … had to stop when Abiraterone did a number on my liver spring/fall ‘24… once enzymes have returned to normal and have moved to Nubeqa I will consider taking again. Cardio wise, currently in good shape.

[kainasar]

Thanks very helpful. Needed to show to MD to justify usage.

[Samrecan]

I read that statins can induce apoptosis in prostate cancer cells; however, for this to happen SREBP2 needs to be inhibited. Dipyridamole has been shown to achieve this when administered with statins.

[Heilung18-Gesund in reply to Samrecan]

Thanks for the reference.

Do you know what dose of dipyridamole?

TB

[Samrecan in reply to Heilung18-Gesund]

300 mg daily

Reference from Book: Prostrate Cancer Metabolism - Page 21, 22

“Another effect of statins is a feedback loop that increases SREBP2 expression/activity which in turn increases HMG-CoA reductase activity in prostate cancer. On the other hand, statins can induce apoptosis in prostate cancer cells; however, for this to happen SREBP2 needs to be inhibited. Dipyridamole has been shown to achieve this when administered with statins.

At clinically achievable concentrations statins can induce apoptosis in prostate cancer when administered with dipyridamole.

There is growing evidence that statin usefulness in cancer treatment is strongly attached to SREBP2 inhibition with dipyridamole.”

[Heilung18-Gesund in reply to Samrecan]

thank you.

[Derf4223]

The real question about statins is whether it is the medication or lower lipids that makes the mortality difference. If you have normal or low lipids in the first place, ...

"We observed that the inverse association between statin use and cancer mortality is limited to men with a reduction in cholesterol after the commencement of statins. These findings demonstrate that the observed inverse association between the use of statins and mortality from cancer is related to cholesterol level. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the separate effects of cholesterol level and statin use on cancer mortality."

from this article pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articl...

" major analysis of several controlled trials involving hundreds of men and women found that dietary changes reduced LDL and total cholesterol while exercise alone had no effect on either. (However, adding aerobic exercise did enhance the lipid-lowering effects of a heart-healthy diet.)"

from this article health.harvard.edu/heart-he...

Frequent exercise of the right kinds is also proven to lower mortality, more than statin-induced lipid reduction.

[Don_1213]

An interesting thought. I had hyperlipidemia for about 30 years before I was diagnosed in my early 70's with PCa. Despite taking high doses of statins - nothing reduced my cholesterol. I tried being a gym rat (7 days a week for 2 hours) - didn't help. The cause was genetic, my mother and father both had hyperlipidemia and passed it along to me.

Then came Repatha about 18 months ago. Just took my bi-weekly shot today. Repatha dropped the bad cholesterol down to the bottom of the good range (from being WAY over the top.) It did this in 3 months between blood tests. It has remained at that low range for the past 18 or so months.

My PSA had been steady around 0.22 +/- 0.04 for several years after radiation and ADT were completed. About when I started the Repatha - my PSA started dropping, and so far it hasn't stopped. Test after test - a lower number. I'm now down to half of what had been my steady state for several years. My last test was 0.11.

Correlation? From what you're surmising - it would appear to me the correlation would be between total cholesterol and PCa.. or at least with PSA.

BTW - so far I've (under MD's advice) halved the amount of Atorvastatin I take. I'm hoping my cholesterol remains low and I can reduce it further. Any statin carries the risk of rather serious side effects - so less is more if the goal is achieved by other means.