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Does statin use affect the risk of developing prostate cancer?

Nature Clinical Practice Urology volume 6, pages 70–71 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

This commentary discusses the findings of Agalliu and colleagues, who performed a population-based, case–control study on the association between statin drugs and prostate cancer risk. Consistent with recent studies, statins were not associated with overall prostate cancer risk, but users had a possible lower risk of advanced disease. Obese men taking a statin had a higher risk of prostate cancer than those not taking a statin; however, a previously conducted, large, prospective, cohort study did not observe this association. This unexpected finding by Agalliu et al. could be a chance result, or could have arisen because of complex bias. Although statins might favorably affect men's prostate health, evidence is too limited to recommend statin use for the prevention of advanced prostate cancer. Consideration of the harms and benefits when prescribing a statin for vascular indications, including in obese men, should not presently include prostate cancer risk.

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Acknowledgements

Dr Platz is supported in part by Public Health Service research grant P50 CA58236 from the National Cancer Institute, NIH, Department of Health and Human Services. The content is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official view of the National Cancer Institute or the NIH.

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Author notes

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Rm E6132, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA eplatz@jhsph.edu

Authors and Affiliations

  1. EA Platz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and in the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.,

    Elizabeth A Platz

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  1. Elizabeth A Platz
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The author declares no competing financial interests.

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Platz, E. Does statin use affect the risk of developing prostate cancer?. Nat Rev Urol 6, 70–71 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro1295

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