A very popular class of drug can lower cholesterol effectively. But it turns out it's not the only thing it can do. It can actually reduce the risk of dying from cancer.
These drugs are called statins, which have the ability to block certain activities that can increase bad cholesterol in the blood. Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol is necessary, but the body doesn't require much of it. Moreover, since it travels through the bloodstream, a high level of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) can build plaques on the walls of the arteries, which may then contribute to cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
Millions of people around the world are taking statins for reduction of cholesterol, but in a new U.S. study, these same drugs can also cut the risk of cancer significantly.
The study headed by the researchers of Stanford University School of Medicine, which looked into the cholesterol and cancer history of more than a hundred thousand women, revealed that those who took statins possess a much higher chance of surviving the disease by decreasing the risk of dying by as much as 40 percent. These cancers are some of the most common ones such as breast and bowel (like the colon).
The reduced risk goes up to 55% for those who suffer rare types of cancer, as well as bone. Overall, the risk of dying is 1/5 lower than those who are not prescribed with the drug.
The findings, which were presented during a medical conference among oncologists in Chicago, didn't exactly provide details on how these statins can bring down the risk. They also didn't say that they can prevent the occurrence of cancer.
Rather, they explain that statins have the mechanism to save lives by delaying the progression of the disease, allowing cancer treatments to work better.
Although statins have side effects like muscle weakness, with this new study, the benefits may eventually outweigh the risks.
