A new study indicates the use of statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs used to for cardiac problems, can help reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancers, according to a news release from the American College of Gastroenterology.
Statin users saw a 12 percent reduction in the odds of colorectal cancer, according to the study's results.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and included more than 2.5 million participants from 22 scientific studies.
"Observational studies have suggested that long-term use of statins is associated with reduced risk of several cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, pancreas and liver," said Jewel Samadder, MD, MSc, in the news release. "Our findings suggest that randomized controlled trials designed to test the hypothesis that statins reduce the risk of colorectal cancer are warranted."
Read the ACG news release about statins (pdf).