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Arab Times
24-04-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
Popular heart medication may cut cancer death risk by 60%: study
LONDON, April 24: Cholesterol-lowering statins, taken by millions worldwide, may significantly reduce the risk of death from a common type of blood cancer, new research suggests. Scientists in the United Arab Emirates tracked 1,467 patients diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), both slow-growing cancers affecting white blood cells. The study found that patients taking statins had a 61% lower risk of dying from their cancer compared to those not on the medication. Published in the journal Blood Advances, the observational study also showed a 38% lower risk of death from any cause and a 26% reduced risk of disease progression among statin users. 'These findings highlight a strong link between statin use and improved survival,' said Dr. Ahmad Abuhelwa, assistant professor of pharmacotherapeutics at the University of Sharjah. However, he cautioned, 'We can't say for certain that statins directly improve cancer outcomes. Future clinical trials are needed.' Statins are the UK's most-prescribed drug, with over 70 million packs dispensed annually. Originally developed to reduce heart disease by lowering levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol, they are now also used to prevent heart attacks and strokes in at-risk individuals. The new study adds to growing evidence suggesting that statins may offer protective effects against various cancers, including breast, liver, stomach, and bowel. In this trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive either ibrutinib—a common CLL/SLL therapy—alone, in combination with other drugs, or other non-ibrutinib treatments. About one-third of the participants were already on statins when their cancer treatment began. The average patient age was 65, and follow-up lasted about five years. Despite the promising results, researchers acknowledged the study's limitations. 'We could not determine the effects of specific statin types, doses, or duration of use on patient outcomes,' they wrote. CLL and SLL are diagnosed in approximately 4,500 people in the UK each year and are more common in men. While often manageable, they are rarely cured entirely, with treatments focused on long-term disease control. Dr. Abuhelwa emphasized that while the results are encouraging, they do not support starting statins solely for cancer treatment at this stage. 'More research is essential to confirm a direct benefit,' he said.
Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Leukaemia patients have 61 per cent lower death risk with statins
Blood cancer patients have a 61 per cent lower risk of death if they take statins with treatment, a study has suggested. About 4,500 people a year are diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and just under 1,000 will die. But research suggests that statins could be a cheap way to dramatically reduce death rates. Statins primarily lower cholesterol levels but they also improve overall blood vessel function which can help the immune system and appear to have anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers from the United Arab Emirates analysed the medical records of 1,467 patients with CLL or SLL who took part in four clinical trials between 2012 and 2019. About one third of the trial participants were also, unrelatedly, taking a statin, and were found to have a significantly lower risk of death within five years. 'A strong link' Patients who took a statin had, on average, a 61 per cent reduced risk of dying from their cancer, a 38 per cent reduced risk of death from any cause, as well as a 26 per cent reduced risk of disease progression. 'This is the first systematic evaluation of the association of statin use with survival outcomes in patients with CLL or SLL who have been treated with contemporary targeted agents such as ibrutinib,' said Dr Ahmad Abuhelwa, assistant professor of pharmacy practice and pharmacotherapeutics at the University of Sharjah in the UAE. 'Our results highlight a strong link between statin use and improved survival in this patient population.' CLL is a slow-growing cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and is one of the most common forms of leukaemia. SLL, also a slow-growing cancer, affects the same type of cells as CLL but starts in lymphoid tissues such as the spleen instead of in the blood-forming cells. Around 12 per cent of patients would be expected to die within five years of diagnosis with either condition, which suggests that statins could help that fall to around 5 per cent. It is unknown why statins may aid survival, although several studies have shown that drugs which improve overall health can help to keep other major diseases at bay. The research also found taking statins on top of cancer medication did not cause any severe or life-threatening side effects, suggesting they could be a safe addition to treatment. 'These findings don't allow us to say for certain that statins directly improve cancer outcomes,' added Dr Abuhelwa. 'However, the fact that this association remained strong even after accounting for multiple factors makes it an important area for future research.' It is estimated there are already around seven to eight million adults in Britain taking statins, making them one of the most prescribed medications. The team has now called for clinical trials in which patients with CLL or SLL are randomly assigned to take a statin or not. The research was published in the journal Blood Advances.
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Millions on common heart drug have 60% lower risk of dying from lethal cancer, study suggests
Cholesterol-lowering pills used by millions of adults may slash the risk of developing a common type of blood cancer, research today suggested. Statins are Britain's most prescribed medicines, with more than 70 million packs dispensed annually. Now, scientists in the United Arab Emirates, who tracked more than 1,000 patients with the disease, found those taking the drug were almost two thirds less likely to die from their cancer than those who weren't. Experts, labelled the findings 'very promising' but cautioned they do not yet prove that statins can 'directly improve cancer outcomes'. It follows previous research that has suggested taking the medicines may lower the risk of developing up to 20 other types of cancer, including breast, liver, stomach and even bowel. Dr Ahmad Abuhelwa, an assistant professor of pharmacotherapeutics at the University of Sharjah, said: 'Our results highlight a strong link between statin use and improved survival. 'These findings don't allow us to say for certain that statins directly improve cancer outcomes. 'However, the fact that this association remained strong even after accounting for multiple factors makes it an important area for future research.' In the study, researchers assessed statin use on patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Often referred to as the same cancer, both cause white blood cells to develop abnormally, breaking down the body's ability to fight infection. CLL and SLL are rarely cured completely. Instead, patients live with the cancer, undergoing treatment to control it for as long as possible. Because the disease develops slowly, doctors have to wait until there is enough cancer in the blood to warrant aggressive treatment. While patients can be declared cancer-free after chemo, the disease can return, requiring further rounds. Roughly 80 per cent of patients survive five years or more with the disease. But according to Lymphoma Action, around 4,500 people are diagnosed with CLL or SLL every year in the UK — more than 12 people each day. It affects nearly twice as many men as women. In the study, the scientists tracked 1,467 patients with CLL or SLL, who were aged 65 on average. Patients were randomly assigned newer cancer therapy drug ibrutinib, either alone or in combination with other anti-cancer drugs. A third group was put on a drug regimen that did not include ibrutinib. Around a third of patients were taking a statin at the time they started treatment. Over a follow-up of roughly five years the researchers found those on statins had a 61 per cent lower risk of dying from their cancer compared to those who were not. Writing in the journal Blood Advances, they also found patients on the drug had a 38 per cent reduced risk of death from any cause and a 26 per cent reduced risk of disease progression. The scientists, however, acknowledged the study was merely observational and could not prove why statins may reduce the risk. The paper also had some 'limitations', they said, including the fact patients use statins at different doses. 'The study could not determine the effects of specific statin types, doses, or duration of use on patients' survival,' they added. Dr Abuhelwa also said: 'While our results are very promising, we can't recommend starting statins for CLL or SLL treatment based on this study alone. 'Future clinical trials are needed to determine definitively whether statins have a direct benefit on cancer survival.' Since the drugs first won approval in 1987, global sales of statins have exceeded £765 billion. The drugs were designed to protect people at high risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Here, they work by limiting the production of 'bad' low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which can harden or narrow arteries. They were developed originally for the secondary prevention of heart attacks or strokes — that is, reducing the risk of future events in patients who have already suffered one. Now they are increasingly used for primary prevention — in people who haven't had a heart attack or stroke, but are deemed to be at risk.
The Independent
23-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
One of UK's most prescribed drugs could reduce death rate of common blood cancer
One of the most prescribed drugs in the UK could reduce the risk of dying from blood cancer by more than 60 per cent, a study has revealed. Statins, a cholesterol-lowering medication taken by more than 7million people in the UK, lowers the risk of heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes. But it's also been suggested to reduce the death rates of several cancers, including Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), according to a study published today in the journal Blood Advances. These are both types of slow-growing cancers. CLL starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and is a common form of leukaemia. SLL affects the same type of cells but starts in lymphoid tissues such as the spleen instead of in the blood-forming cells. Researchers analysed data from 1,467 patents with CLL or SLL who participated in four international trials conducted between 2012 and 2019. Each patient was either newly diagnosed, their blood cancer had come back or had not responded to prior treatment. These trials saw patients randomly assigned ibrutinib, a targeted cancer drug, either alone or in combination with other anti-cancer drugs, or to a drug regimen that did not include ibrutinib. A total of 424 patients (29 per cent) were taking a statin at the time they started treatment across the four clinical trials which looked at how long patients lived after starting treatment. They were followed up after five years for overall survival and 22 months for progression-free survival. Researchers discovered that patients who took a statin had a 61 per cent reduced risk of dying from their cancer, a 38 per cent reduction in death of any cause and a 26 per cent reduced risk of disease progression. Researchers adjusted their analysis for variables including each patient's diagnosis, age, sex, weight, disease severity, length of time since their diagnosis, number of co-existing illnesses, use of other medications for heart conditions or high blood pressure, and the specific anti-cancer treatment regimen received. 'Our results highlight a strong link between statin use and improved survival in this patient population,' said the study's principal investigator, Ahmad Abuhelwa, PhD, an assistant professor of pharmacy practice and pharmacotherapeutics at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. He added: 'These findings don't allow us to say for certain that statins directly improve cancer outcomes. 'However, the fact that this association remained strong even after accounting for multiple factors makes it an important area for future research.' As next steps, he recommended conducting laboratory studies to better understand how statins may influence cancer biology, as well as prospective clinical trials in which patients with CLL or SLL are randomly assigned to take a statin or not.
