Liver cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, as reported by the National Cancer Institute. Published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, a recent research paper investigated the relationship between statin usage and the risk of liver cancer in individuals with chronic liver disease.
The authors found that using statins was linked to a lower chance of developing liver cancer and worsening liver disease, also called decompensated cirrhosis. Complications including ascites and jaundice accompany the gradual decline in liver function that may lead to end-stage liver failure, a condition known as hepatic decompensation.
Liver cancer outcomes were best for those who used lipophilic (fat-soluble) statins such as atorvastatin and simvastatin, and for those who took statins for a longer period of time, the results were best for both liver cancer and hepatic decompensation. A board-certified cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology in New York City, Jossef Amirian, MD, offers his thoughts on the study’s findings and the function of statins. Read the article
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