title: In vitro Anti-Tumor Effects of Statins on Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Statins are commonly used against arteriosclerotic disease, but recent retrospective analyses have suggested that statins also prevent cancer. The aim of this systematic review is to verify the vitro anti-tumor effects of statins on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies were gathered by searching Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and PubMed, up until May 9, 2015, with no time or language restrictions. Only in vitro studies that discuss the effect of statins on head and neck carcinoma were selected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 153 identified papers, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies demonstrated that statins had a significant effect on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and influenced cell viability, cell cycle, cell death, and protein expression levels involved in pathways of carcinogenesis, which corroborates with the potential in vitro anti-tumor effects. It provides highlights about the biological mechanisms of statins used alone or associated with traditional therapy for cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Though there are few studies on the topic, currently available evidence suggests that statins shows that preclinical experiments supports the potentiality of statin as an adjuvant agent in chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy approaches routinely used in the management of HNSCC and should undergo further clinical assessment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oral Histopathology, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ludmila Madeira Cardoso
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Pavan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oral Histopathology, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela Fortunato
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Rêgo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oral Histopathology, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia Taveira
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil, and University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Graziela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Luca Canto
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oral Histopathology, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliete Neves Silva
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Guerra
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors