Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs and Colorectal Cancer Incidence in a Large United States Cohort

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, commonly known as statins, account for most cholesterol-lowering drug use in the United States. A recent large case-control study reported that use of statins for more than 5 years was associated with a 47% reduction in risk of colorectal c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2006-01, Vol.98 (1), p.69-72
Main Authors: Jacobs, Eric J., Rodriguez, Carmen, Brady, Kerri A., Connell, Cari J., Thun, Michael J., Calle, Eugenia E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Anticarcinogenic Agents - administration & dosage
Anticarcinogenic Agents - pharmacology
Anticholesteremic Agents - pharmacology
Biological and medical sciences
Cholesterol
Cohort Studies
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal Neoplasms - epidemiology
Colorectal Neoplasms - prevention & control
Female
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Humans
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - administration & dosage
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - pharmacology
Incidence
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Odds Ratio
Prescription drugs
Statins
Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tumors
United States - epidemiology
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Summary:3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, commonly known as statins, account for most cholesterol-lowering drug use in the United States. A recent large case-control study reported that use of statins for more than 5 years was associated with a 47% reduction in risk of colorectal cancer. No other large studies have examined this association. We examined the association between use of cholesterol-lowering drugs and colorectal cancer incidence among 132 136 men and women in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. We identified 815 incident cases of colorectal cancer among study participants during follow-up from the date of completion of a study questionnaire in 1997 through August 31, 2001. Current use of cholesterol-lowering drugs was not associated with colorectal cancer incidence (multivariable adjusted rate ratio [RR] = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85 to 1.26). Current use of cholesterol-lowering drugs for 5 years or more was also not associated with colorectal cancer incidence (multivariable adjusted RR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.83 to 1.43). Our results do not support the hypothesis that statin use strongly reduces risk of colorectal cancer. However, we cannot rule out a small reduction in risk or an effect associated with only specific types or doses of statins.
ISSN:0027-8874
1460-2105
DOI:10.1093/jnci/djj006