Cholesterol lowering Statins and Cancer
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saluki
Member Posts: 2,287
Talk about Crazy Meds---Damned if you do Damned if you Don't.
Who knows what is right anymore.
More research is needed is an understatement. In the meantime maybe they would like to quit using us as guinea pigs?
July 24, 2007
Very Low LDL May Mean More Cancer Risk
Risk Found in People Taking Statin Drugs; More Study Needed, Researchers Say
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
July 23, 2007 -- New research suggests a link between very low cholesterol levels and an increased risk of cancer, but the findings are far from conclusive, researchers say.
The analysis of studies examining outcomes in patients taking cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins to lower their low density lipoprotein (LDL) "bad" cholesterol found an elevated risk of cancer among those who achieved the very lowest LDL cholesterol levels while taking the drugs.
The findings do not directly implicate statins in increasing cancer risk, but they do raise important questions, which need to be answered in future clinical trials, researcher Richard H. Karas, MD, of Bostons Tufts-New England Medical Center, tells WebMD.
Statins like Lipitor, Pravachol, Crestor, and Zocor lower LDL levels by blocking a key enzyme in the liver responsible for making cholesterol.
Our findings should not be seen as a reason to change clinical practice, Karas says. No one who needs these drugs should stop taking them based on these findings.
Is Lower Always Better?
Millions of American take statins to lower their risk of heart attack and stroke, and in recent years an increasing number have been placed on high doses of the drugs to achieve lower LDL levels.
The lower is better strategy for controlling LDL has been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk, especially in very high-risk heart patients. But questions remain about the long-term safety of high-dose statin use.
Karas and colleagues did not have cancer in mind when they set out to examine the safety of the strategy. They were more focused on two more widely suspected side effects of statins -- muscle damage and elevated liver enzymes.
They found no link between very low LDL levels and either of these side effects, but a clear association was seen between statin use in high doses and liver abnormalities.
There was an important and significant relationship between the dose of statins given and the risk of liver toxicity, Karas says. I think this paper establishes that point quite strongly.
The analysis failed to show a similar link between statin dosage and muscle damage. It has long been suggested that in high doses statins raise the risk of a rare but potentially life-threatening muscle disorder known as rhabdomyolysis.
No evidence of a link was found by Karas and colleagues, but the researcher says there were too few cases of the disorder to prove or disprove the association.
Karas favors using moderate doses of statins in combination with other cholesterol-lowering drugs instead of high doses of statins to lower the risk to the liver.
"To be clear, the benefits of statins far outweigh the risks, he says.
Statins, Cancer, and Controversy
It is not clear from the analysis if the increased cancer risk seen in patients with very low LDL had anything to do with statin use.
The study is published in the July 31 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
In an interview with WebMD, ACC President James Dove, MD, FACC, expressed concern that it would be misinterpreted by the press and public.
It would be wrong to conclude that the drugs are too risky because of this unproven cancer risk, he says. These results raise important questions, but they do not demonstrate a causal relationship between statins and cancer.
Editors of the ACC journal expressed a similar apprehension in an editorial accompanying the research analysis.
Given the growing public angst regarding the safety of prescription medications, all were concerned that the paper contained great potential both for harm and good, editors Anthony DeMaria, MD, and Ori Ben-Yehuda, MD, write.
The study prompted spirited discussions among editorial board members, with some arguing that the paper should not be published, the editors write.
In the final analysis, the consensus was that these findings could not be ignored, that they did indeed warrant further investigation, and that they should be aired in public, they conclude.
Lipitor manufacturer Pfizer issued a statement late Monday in response to the study, noting that the existing pre-clinical and clinical evidence does not support a causal association between the use of statins and the development of cancer.
A Pfizer spokeswoman pointed to a large analysis of 26 studies including nearly 90,000 patients published last year, which showed no evidence of an increased risk of cancer with statin use.
A limitation of the current analysis is that researchers took data from clinical trials available before November of 2005, the statement reads. We agree with the authors that further analysis in this area is appropriate, but should include all currently available trials.
* Learning about cholesterol and how it affects your daily health needs? Ask or expert Michael Richman, MD, FACS, a question here on the Cholesterol Management message board.
SOURCES: Alsheikh-Ali, A. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, July 31, 2007; vol 50: 409-418. Richard H. Karas, MD, PhD, director of preventive cardiology, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston. James Dove, MD, FACC, president, American College of Cardiology. Anthony DeMaria, MD, MACC, editor-in-chief, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, San Diego. Rebecca Hamm, spokeswoman, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.
© 2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
©2005-2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
Who knows what is right anymore.
More research is needed is an understatement. In the meantime maybe they would like to quit using us as guinea pigs?
July 24, 2007
Very Low LDL May Mean More Cancer Risk
Risk Found in People Taking Statin Drugs; More Study Needed, Researchers Say
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
July 23, 2007 -- New research suggests a link between very low cholesterol levels and an increased risk of cancer, but the findings are far from conclusive, researchers say.
The analysis of studies examining outcomes in patients taking cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins to lower their low density lipoprotein (LDL) "bad" cholesterol found an elevated risk of cancer among those who achieved the very lowest LDL cholesterol levels while taking the drugs.
The findings do not directly implicate statins in increasing cancer risk, but they do raise important questions, which need to be answered in future clinical trials, researcher Richard H. Karas, MD, of Bostons Tufts-New England Medical Center, tells WebMD.
Statins like Lipitor, Pravachol, Crestor, and Zocor lower LDL levels by blocking a key enzyme in the liver responsible for making cholesterol.
Our findings should not be seen as a reason to change clinical practice, Karas says. No one who needs these drugs should stop taking them based on these findings.
Is Lower Always Better?
Millions of American take statins to lower their risk of heart attack and stroke, and in recent years an increasing number have been placed on high doses of the drugs to achieve lower LDL levels.
The lower is better strategy for controlling LDL has been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk, especially in very high-risk heart patients. But questions remain about the long-term safety of high-dose statin use.
Karas and colleagues did not have cancer in mind when they set out to examine the safety of the strategy. They were more focused on two more widely suspected side effects of statins -- muscle damage and elevated liver enzymes.
They found no link between very low LDL levels and either of these side effects, but a clear association was seen between statin use in high doses and liver abnormalities.
There was an important and significant relationship between the dose of statins given and the risk of liver toxicity, Karas says. I think this paper establishes that point quite strongly.
The analysis failed to show a similar link between statin dosage and muscle damage. It has long been suggested that in high doses statins raise the risk of a rare but potentially life-threatening muscle disorder known as rhabdomyolysis.
No evidence of a link was found by Karas and colleagues, but the researcher says there were too few cases of the disorder to prove or disprove the association.
Karas favors using moderate doses of statins in combination with other cholesterol-lowering drugs instead of high doses of statins to lower the risk to the liver.
"To be clear, the benefits of statins far outweigh the risks, he says.
Statins, Cancer, and Controversy
It is not clear from the analysis if the increased cancer risk seen in patients with very low LDL had anything to do with statin use.
The study is published in the July 31 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
In an interview with WebMD, ACC President James Dove, MD, FACC, expressed concern that it would be misinterpreted by the press and public.
It would be wrong to conclude that the drugs are too risky because of this unproven cancer risk, he says. These results raise important questions, but they do not demonstrate a causal relationship between statins and cancer.
Editors of the ACC journal expressed a similar apprehension in an editorial accompanying the research analysis.
Given the growing public angst regarding the safety of prescription medications, all were concerned that the paper contained great potential both for harm and good, editors Anthony DeMaria, MD, and Ori Ben-Yehuda, MD, write.
The study prompted spirited discussions among editorial board members, with some arguing that the paper should not be published, the editors write.
In the final analysis, the consensus was that these findings could not be ignored, that they did indeed warrant further investigation, and that they should be aired in public, they conclude.
Lipitor manufacturer Pfizer issued a statement late Monday in response to the study, noting that the existing pre-clinical and clinical evidence does not support a causal association between the use of statins and the development of cancer.
A Pfizer spokeswoman pointed to a large analysis of 26 studies including nearly 90,000 patients published last year, which showed no evidence of an increased risk of cancer with statin use.
A limitation of the current analysis is that researchers took data from clinical trials available before November of 2005, the statement reads. We agree with the authors that further analysis in this area is appropriate, but should include all currently available trials.
* Learning about cholesterol and how it affects your daily health needs? Ask or expert Michael Richman, MD, FACS, a question here on the Cholesterol Management message board.
SOURCES: Alsheikh-Ali, A. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, July 31, 2007; vol 50: 409-418. Richard H. Karas, MD, PhD, director of preventive cardiology, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston. James Dove, MD, FACC, president, American College of Cardiology. Anthony DeMaria, MD, MACC, editor-in-chief, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, San Diego. Rebecca Hamm, spokeswoman, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.
© 2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
©2005-2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
Comments
-
Interesting but I would wait for more conclusive studies to come out. I have a high risk of stroke because of a health issue I have so I needed to lower my cholesterol with a statin. I take a low dose.
I believe that it's just our bodies. We are either prone to fighting cancer cells or we are not and that's what they should be looking at. -
There's this newish concern that we should get our LDL down below 70 for those at high risk for heart problems. I think that is what this research is trying to address. How low is too low? And what are the long term effects of keeping it so low?
That's where the drug zetia comes in to augment the statins by getting LDL as low as possible. I've read that women over 65 needs to have some more LDL.
I hope they don't drop the ball on this one, cause cardio's might be jumping on lower is better bandwagon without thinking about consequences that could be causing more harm then good.
"A Pfizer spokeswoman pointed to a large analysis of 26 studies including nearly 90,000 patients published last year, which showed no evidence of an increased risk of cancer with statin use."
They didn't ask me. -
It's like all our other meds. You walk into chemo the first day and sign a paper that you know it can give you cancer.
If you need it there is not much leeway. Like the AI's we take it cause hopefully it will give us better odds, but it is disconcerting to not know the long term consequences of these meds.
I do have concerns not about the cardiologists, but about the PCP's who are a little too anxious to give the statins. If I was borderline on the cholesterol I'd want more research done.
Not that I could take it anyway (those pesky liver enzymes) -
When people are close to being a tad too high, they could offer diet plans and exercise first. There are some people who would follow a diet instead of taking a pill. Not one word was ever said to me about diet. Not all can lower cholesterol by diet alone, but how do they know unless they try it?
I'd hand people a prescription and a card for a nutritionist, which one would they rather do? At least give them a choice. -
I take a statin every day, have done for about 3 years.
I am continuing with them, my family have a VERY high risk of heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure and strokes.
Just one more thing to worry about!!
Weighing up the risk, from the articles I've seen in the press, I'm stopping with them.
I too have never, ever been told 'you are carrying too much weight, watch what you eat', even though its down on my medical records that my weight has slowly gone up about 3 stones over the past 4 years.
Oh, for a caring 'sorting out' kind of dr. My GP has told me that Arimidex doesn't cause all the pain I have. It doesn't cause me to have carpal tunnel, plantar fasiitis, and clicky fingers....so go discuss whether its safe for me to continue on statins, I don't think so !!
I could go to another dr in the practice, but for me its better the devil I know. She's been my GP for 25 years, if ever I have to see another dr they just don't know me at all.
Isabella. -
Isabella,
I'm reading your post and are you saying you'll continue taking the statin or not? You really can't go off a statin cold turkey, especially since there is a strong history of heart problems in your family.
You would have to start a strict special diet to control the cholesterol on your own. That's something to think about if you are thinking of quitting the statin. -
Rosemary.
I'm saying that I AM continuing as normal, 1 tablet per day.
Thanx for the advice though, I didn't know that I couldn't go cold turkey on statins.
I always say I learn something every day, and this little pearl of wisdom is todays lesson !!!!
Many thanx. Isabella. -
I believe the statin Zocor caused my Mom's cancer. She was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, but all her cancer was in her liver. She was diagnosed shortly after switching to Zocor from a different statin. I appreciate this article, now I'm even more certain this was the cause.
-
It would be very interesting to see whether the people who naturally have very low LDL levels have a higher risk of cancer. I'm wondering how much of this has to do with the myriad of other issue and molecules involved with people with metabolic syndrome and/or familial dyslipidemia v the statin itself. Does using a statin to force a low LDL cause something else to change in the bodies of people who require this to lower their lipids? If it could be done ethically a study that took people with normal lipids, average Framingham risk (risk for heart disease) and forced their LDLs down to 70 mg/dl to see if that increased their cancer risk....
TOO MANY VARIABLES!!
I guess there was a thing that came out yesterday saying that people who drink sodas/pops/tonics (depending on what part of the US/world you hail from) have a higher risk of heart disease - whether or not sweetened with high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. We had this discussion at our endocrine office at lunch and decided it has nothing to do with the soda per se but the type of person who is likely (in generalizing populations) to drink sodas may be more likely to eat more processed foods in general.
Jorf -
Don't remember the good and bad, but my bad was too high and good way too low. I had to quit taking the statin because I was having the flushes at all times of the day. People I'd be talking to would ask me if i was okay.
-
re: Lipitor
A friend of mine just stopped using this
medication
Told his doctor it made him too
tired
Are you supposed to taper off this drug?
tire -
People can stop the pill but without a plan in place they're risking too much. I'd lower the dose first, get a diet and exercise plan going at the same time, and if they can't get it lower by dieting, or keeping to the diet, it's better to stay on the drug.
It's all according to how high the cholesterol was in the first place cause it's going right back to that level without a plan in place. -
Hi:::
I agree with you
but this person is stubborn
it will just go right back up
as he has been advised by his physician
tks.. ) -
Juanita, which statin were you taking? My brother is taking one with, I believe, niacin is in it. He was told to take an aspirin daily. I don't know if it was a low strength aspirin.
Shirley -
I was taking advicor. And they told me to take the asprin, which didn't work. then they told me to try a benadryl and it didn't work either. I think because of the niacin but I got switched to lipitor.
-
Jorf,
I'll be the guinea pig. My Dr. insisted I get my LDL down under 70. I was at 73 at the time. 3 pts? With another pill, it is down to what I think is too low at 53. I'll let you know how it goes for me. -
Well, Juanita, that should have taken care of that! LOL
My brother didn't know that no all statins had no niacin in it. He was surprised I wasn't taking an aspirin to fight any side effects. I didn't have his side effects cuz I was on a different drug. LOL
Shirley -
Hi, I had been on Zimvastatin at the time of my dx due to high hereditary cholesterol. I took myself off for the duration of chemo and rads, figuring it was just one pill too many with all the others I was taking, but recently found out my cholesterol went back up to 245. So my GP has me back on the statin and I'm just resigned to it. I am also on Herceptin so I still have a port and taking Warfarin (Coumadin) which can INTERACT with statins! Statins can boost the blood-thinning action of Warfarin or Coumadin. Both my GP and onc are aware of it and keeping an eye on the situation but if you are in the same boat, drug-wise, it's important to know that, I think, and be sure not to take any other thinning agents (check herbal supplements especially carefully. - Skye
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