PHILADELPHIA Laboratory work in animals showed limited activity when statins were given to prevent breast cancer, according to a report in the February issue of Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Statins, sold under brand names like Lipitor and Zocor, are primarily given to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease, and prominent cardiologists almost universally agree that their use has changed the landscape.
The use of these drugs in cancer prevention has been more controversial. Results of epidemiology studies, which rely on looking backward rather than forward and thus are subject to confounding factors, have yielded mixed results when examining breast cancer.
Scientists under the auspices of the NCI, including Ronald Lubet, Ph.D., an NCI program director, and Clinton Grubbs, Ph.D., director of the Chemoprevention Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham conducted laboratory work in animals to determine if statins actually prevent both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer.
In the current study, scientists tested atorvastatin and lovastatin. "We saw no real efficacy from either statin," said Lubet. "Prior studies have shown some but limited efficacy in breast cancer models when these drugs were given through a method that would be the equivalent of intravenously in humans. However, that is not the way people take statins."
Atorvastatin was administered at either 125 or 500 mg/kg in the diet of rats, and it did not alter the incidence of estrogen receptor-positive mammary cancers or its multiplicity. Similarly, no effect of atorvastatin was observed in an estrogen receptor-negative model in mice.
By contrast, when these mice were given 0.4 mg of tamoxifen or 80 mg of bexarotene there was a significant reduction in the multiplicity of mammary tumors. Combining these regimens with atorvastatin did not augment the positive effects
'/>"/>
| Contact: Jeremy Moore Jeremy.moore@aacr.org 267-646-0557 American Association for Cancer Research Source:Eurekalert |
Related biology news :
1. Natural compound in broccoli could treat devastating genetic skin disorder
2. Statin does not appear helpful for children with learning disabilities caused by genetic disorder
3. Midge-hunting scientists tackle spread of devastating bluetongue virus
4. Statins may prevent miscarriages
5. Statin warning for pregnant women
6. New drug holds out promise of normal diet for sufferers of devastating PKU genetic disease
7. Statins may treat blood vessel disorder that can lead to fatal strokes
8. A new radiation therapy treatment developed for head and neck cancer patients
9. St. Jude finds factors that accelerate resistance to targeted therapy in lymphoblastic leukemia
10. UC health news: molecular pathway may predict chemotherapy effectiveness
11. MIT works toward safer gene therapy
| Copyright © 2003-2012 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |