title: Statins and the risk of lung cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several epidemiologic studies have evaluated the association between statins and lung cancer risk, whereas randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on cardiovascular outcomes provide relevant data as a secondary end point. We conducted a meta-analysis of all relevant studies to examine this association.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature search up to March 2012 was performed in PubMed database. Study-specific risk estimates were pooled using a random-effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen studies (5 RCTs and 14 observational studies) involving 38,013 lung cancer cases contributed to the analysis. They were grouped on the basis of study design, and separate meta-analyses were conducted. There was no evidence of an association between statin use and risk of lung cancer either among RCTs (relative risk [RR] 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-1.09), among cohort studies (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.82-1.07), or among case-control studies (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.57-1.16). Low evidence of publication bias was found. However, statistically significant heterogeneity was found among cohort studies and among case-control studies. After excluding the studies contributing most to the heterogeneity, summary estimates were essentially unchanged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our meta-analysis suggest that there is no association between statin use and the risk of lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Xiaolian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Guoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Aimei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Changhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors