title: Antineoplastic effects of simvastatin in experimental breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) have proven therapeutic and preventive effects on cardiovascular diseases. Preclinical evidence demonstrates tumor-suppressive effects of statins in several human neoplasias, including breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, antineoplastic effects of simvastatin in chemoprevention of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mammary carcinogenesis in female rats were evaluated. The drug was dietary administered at two concentrations--18 mg/kg (SIMVA 18) and 180 mg/kg (SIMVA 180).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Basic parameters of experimental carcinogenesis after long-term simvastatin treatment in animals were assessed. In the SIMVA 180 group, simvastatin significantly suppressed tumour frequency by 80.5% and tumour incidence by 58.5% in comparison to the controls. Higher dose simvastatin non-significantly decreased the mean tumor volume by 23.5%, as well as non-significantly lengthened the latency period by 14.5 days compared to the control animals. Simvastatin, administered at a lower dose did not change parameters of mammary carcinogenesis in comparison to the control group. Simvastatin in both treated groups significantly decreased serum levels of triacylglycerols and VLDL-cholesterol in comparison to the control animals. Compared to the controls, a significant increase in food intake by the animals was recorded in the SIMVA 18 and SIMVA 180 groups. No significant differences in the final body weight gain between the simvastatin-administered and the control group were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study represents the first report of simvastatin use in experimental mammary carcinogenesis in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Martin, Slovak Republic. kubatka@jfmed.uniba.sk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kubatka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zihlavniková
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kajo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Péc
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stollárová
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bojková
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kassayová
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Orendás
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D019821:Simvastatin