title: Effects of simvastatin administration in an experimental model of cancer cachexia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated whether statins, in view of their anti-inflammatory properties, may effectively prevent the onset or modulate the severity of muscle wasting during cancer cachexia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Simvastatin was administered to rats bearing the Yoshida AH-130 ascites hepatoma, a well-studied cytokine-dependent experimental model of cancer cachexia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quite surprisingly, the drug negatively affected the wasting pattern induced by the AH-130 hepatoma. In fact, the administration of simvastatin to tumor hosts induced a further weight reduction of all the tissues examined except for the soleus, in the absence of significant effects of simvastatin on tumor growth or on food intake. No effects were observed after simvastatin administration in control animals, with the exception of a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in heart weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simvastatin administration, although capable of negatively modulating the inflammatory response, did not prevent muscle wasting in this experimental model of cancer cachexia. Moreover, the further muscle loss observed in simvastatin-treated tumor-bearing animals suggests that a note of caution should be introduced in treating cancer patients with statins in view of the possible occurrence of harmful side effects.
authors: Department of Clinical Medicine, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. maurizio.muscaritoli@uniroma1.it
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Muscaritoli
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Costelli
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Bossola
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Grieco
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Bonelli
authors: Rocco
authors: R
authors: Bellantone
authors: Giovanni Battista
authors: GB
authors: Doglietto
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Rossi-Fanelli
authors: Francesco Maria
authors: FM
authors: Baccino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002100:Cachexia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; D008297:Male; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000150:complications*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D019821:Simvastatin