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Statin use and risk of pancreatic cancer: Results from a large, clinic‐based case‐control study
Author(s) -
Walker Evan J.,
Ko Andrew H.,
Holly Elizabeth A.,
Bracci Paige M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.29256
Subject(s) - medicine , statin , pancreatic cancer , cancer , case control study , oncology
BACKGROUND Statins are cholesterol‐lowering medications with pleiotropic effects, including alterations in growth signaling, as well as immunomodulatory and anti‐inflammatory effects that may alter cancer risk. Evidence from previous epidemiologic studies is inconsistent about whether statin use is associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer (PC). METHODS Patients with confirmed diagnoses of PC (cases) were recruited from medical and surgical oncology clinics, with controls (frequency‐matched by sex and age) recruited from general medicine clinics, at a high‐volume academic medical center over a 6‐year period (2006‐2011). Direct interviews were conducted with an epidemiological risk factor questionnaire covering topics such as medical history, lifestyle factors, and medication usage. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as estimates of the relative risk of PC. RESULTS Data were obtained from 536 cases and 869 controls. Ever use of statins was associated with a 34% reduced PC risk (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47‐0.92). In sex‐stratified analyses, risk was statistically significantly reduced in men only (OR for men, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.32‐0.79; OR for women, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.52‐1.43). Duration of use was inversely associated with PC risk (>10‐year use: overall OR, 0.51; OR for men, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.21‐0.80; P trend = .006). CONCLUSIONS This is the largest case‐control study to demonstrate an inverse association between statin use and PC risk. Risk reduction in statin users appears to be sex‐specific and is more pronounced in long‐term users. Further research is warranted to better characterize this association and clarify the roles of underlying biologic mechanisms. Cancer 2015;121:1287–1294. © 2015 American Cancer Society .