THE "NEW" PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK

A recent epidemiologic study in King County, Washington, has found an increased risk for prostate cancer associated with statin use among obese men.

Agalliou et al. conducted a population-based study of 1,001 incident prostate cancer cases diagnosed between 2002 and 2005 and 942 age-matched controls to evaluate risk associated with statin use. No overall association was found between statin use and prostate cancer risk, even for cases with more advanced disease. Risk related to statin use, however, was modified by body mass index (BMI). Obese men (those with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) who used statins had a significantly increased risk relative to obese nonusers, with an even stronger association for longer-term use.

While this is not a prospective study and the results may therefore be open to some question, the significant increase in the odds ratio would suggest that this relationship needs greater study, as suggested by the auhtors themselves.

Filed under: Prevention | Tagged: cancer, news, obesity, prostate, statin, update |