Health
Statin use does not increase breast cancer risk
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 10, 2004
Caucasian race, a history of smoking, hypertension, hormone therapy, excess weight and a family history were associated with the development of breast cancer, but statin use was not, according to a paper published in Cancer last month.
Researchers in Seattle interviewed nearly a thousand local residents with breast cancer who were older than 65 and part of the state's cancer surveillance system. Another thousand controls without cancer who were on the Medicare rolls also were questioned.
Previous studies have suggested that statins may be carcinogenic. Researchers found no such link for short-term use and found a slight decrease for those who took it more than five years.
"Our results both provide reassurance on the safety of statin use among older women and support the emerging evidence that statins may have a chemoprotective action on breast cancer risk," concluded the authors.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/05/10/hlbf0510.htm.
