Statins may reduce thromboembolism risk in cancer patients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Patients with solid organ tumors who've been taking statins are at a significantly reduced risk of venous thromboembolism, researchers report in the January issue of The American Journal of Medicine.

Patients with malignancies have long been recognized to be at increased risk of venous thromboembolism, Dr. Danai Khemasuwan and colleagues at Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, point out. Because statins appear to reduce the risk of thromboembolism in certain groups of patients, the investigators evaluated their effect on patients with solid tumors.

The team reviewed data on 740 consecutive patients with breast, colon, lung, prostate and other solid cancers who were hospitalized between October 2004 and September 2007.

Overall, 26% had been using statins for at least 2 months before admission. The overall rate of thromboembolism was 18%.

After an average follow-up of 10.2 months, rates of thromboembolism were 8% in statin users and 21% in patients not using statins (odds ratio, 0.33). A protective effect persisted even after adjustment for factors such as metastatic disease, smoking and aspirin use.

"Our study," the researchers conclude, "provides preliminary evidence that statin use might confer protection against the risk of developing venous thromboembolism."

Commenting on the findings in an email to Reuters Health, Dr. James E. Dalen of the University of Arizona in Tucson said they "confirm earlier reports that statins decrease the incidence of venous thromboembolism."

In an editorial, Dr. Dalen noted that cancer patients are not routinely given prophylaxis against thromboembolism because of the risk of bleeding complications. However, he said, the relatively low rate of complications associated with statin agents may make these drugs a safer alternative.

"Because statins do not cause bleeding and have minimal side effects, patients undergoing therapy for cancer might be an appropriate group for a randomized clinical trial of statins versus placebo to prevent venous thromboembolism," the editorial concludes.

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