Non-Statin Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Linked to Lower Cancer Risk

Cholesterol absorption inhibitors, like statins, are associated with a reduced risk of developing liver cancer.

Previous research has indicated that statins, cholesterol-lowering medications, may reduce the risk of developing liver cancer. In a new study published in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, researchers investigated whether non-statin cholesterol-lowering drugs have similar effects. The study found that one class of these medications was associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer.

Non-statin cholesterol-lowering drugs include cholesterol absorption inhibitors, bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids. These medications are commonly prescribed to help manage cholesterol and lipid levels, each working through different biological mechanisms. Led by Katherine A. McGlynn, PhD, MPH, of the National Cancer Institute, the research team analyzed the relationship between these five drug classes and the risk of liver cancer—currently the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death.

Data from UK Primary Care Records Used

The investigators used information from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), a primary care database that covers approximately 7% of the United Kingdom population. Their analysis included 3,719 liver cancer cases and 14,876 matched controls without cancer. Additional matches were also made based on individuals’ type 2 diabetes and chronic liver disease status.

Use of cholesterol absorption inhibitors was associated with 31% lower odds of liver cancer risk in the overall analysis. These medications were also linked with a lower risk of liver cancer in analyses based on diabetes and liver disease status. The study also confirmed that statins were associated with 35% lower odds of liver cancer.

No associations with liver cancer risk were observed for fibrates, omega-3 fatty acids, or niacin. While bile acid sequestrant use was associated with higher odds of liver cancer risk in the overall analysis, the results of analyses based on diabetes and liver disease status were inconsistent, suggesting that replication of these observations is important.

“As few studies have examined the effects of non-statin cholesterol-lowering drugs on liver cancer risk, the results of our study require replication in other populations. If our findings are confirmed in other studies, however, our results may inform liver cancer prevention research,” said Dr. McGlynn.

Reference: “Use of cholesterol-lowering medications in relation to risk of primary liver cancer in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink” by Shahriar A. Zamani, Barry I. Graubard, Marianne Hyer, Emily Carver, Jessica L. Petrick and Katherine A. McGlynn, 29 July 2024, Cancer.