Statin use increases the risk of breast and prostate cancer

This study was published in Epidemiology 2002 May;13(3):262-7

 

Study title and authors:

Statin use and the risk of breast and prostate cancer.

Coogan PF, Rosenberg L, Palmer JR, Strom BL, Zauber AG, Shapiro S.

Slone Epidemiology Unit, Boston University School of Medicine, Brookline, MA 02446, USA. pcoogan@slone.bu.edu

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11964926

This study assessed the relationship of statin use to the risk of breast and prostate cancer. The study included 1,132 women with breast cancer and 1,009 men with prostate cancer who were compared with 1,331 women and 1,387 men without breast or prostate cancer.

The study found:
(a) Women using statins had a 50% increased risk of breast cancer compared to women not using statins.
(b) Men using statins had a 20% increased risk of prostate cancer compared to men not using statins.