Do statins decrease the risk of colorectal cancer?
Melinda Hillmer* and David N. Juurlink *Department of Medicine, University of Toronto; Divisions of General Internal Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology, and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. Poynter JN, Gruber SB, Higgins PD, Almog R, Bonner JD, Rennert HS, et al. Statins and the risk of colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med 2005;352:2184-92. Background: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from malignant disease in Canada. Laboratory research suggests that statins may prevent the growth of colorectal cancer cell lines.1 Design: This population-based case control study was conducted in northern Israel between 1998 and 2004. Researchers interviewed 1953 patients with colorectal cancer and 2015 control patients matched for age, sex, clinic location and ethnic group to ascertain use of statins for at least 5 years, along with potential confounders such as family history of colorectal cancer, use of aspirin or other NS
