Studies find cholesterol drugs ineffective in fighting cancer

By Hubert Vigilla

Published on January 09, 2006

The study published in the American Medical Association Journal involved analysis of 26 randomized studies that involved more than 73,000 patients. Researchers found that drugs such as Lipitor and Zocor yielded no results in cancer prevention. The findings of another observational study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that cholesterol-lowering statins had no effect on preventing colorectal cancer in more than 132,000 patients.

The analysis that appeared in the American Medical Association Journal was led by C. Michael White of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy. White noted that these new findings should discourage doctors from prescribing cholesterol drugs solely for cancer prevention.

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