title: Statins May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk, Particularly Hormone Receptor-Negative Disease.
abstract: Estrogen and progesterone receptor-negative breast cancer disproportionately affects young women and African Americans, has a poor prognosis, and lacks an effective chemoprevention agent. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, known as "statins," are appealing candidate agents for breast cancer chemoprevention because of their demonstrated safety after decades of widespread use. In preclinical studies, statins inhibit multiple cancer-associated pathways in both hormone receptor (HR)-negative and HR-positive cell lines. Epidemiologic studies of statins and breast cancer show inconsistent results, with some suggesting a reduction in HR-negative breast cancer incidence in lipophilic statin users. However, large meta-analyses show no association between statin use and overall risk of breast cancer, although most did not evaluate tumor HR status. Multiple phase 1 and 2 prevention studies of statins for breast cancer risk reduction are ongoing. If results are promising, they may justify a randomized trial of statins for breast cancer chemoprevention, with a focus on HR-negative disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Health Research and Policy, Stanford University School of Medicine, HRP Redwood Building, Room T254A, 259 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Shaveta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vinayak
authors.forename: Allison W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Kurian