Statins Reduce The Risk Of Dying From Cancer

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen found that the consumption of cholesterol-lowering statins can decrease the risk of dying from cancer.

Apart from keeping a check on the cholesterol level in the body, scientists have found that cholesterol-lowering statins are more beneficial to the body, especially for those that are suffering from cancer. According to researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, consuming "cholesterol-lowering statins before and after a cancer diagnosis could reduce mortality."

A report published in Thursday's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine said that according to the study statins are very efficient in checking the growth of cancer cells in the body along with making them more treatable as it makes the body more responsive to certain therapies.

"Regular statin use before and after a diagnosis of cancer could theoretically reduce cancer-related mortality," wrote study leader Sune F. Nielsen, a biochemist at the University of Copenhagen who based his findings on an analysis of more than 5.5 million people in Denmark.

Americans, owing to their regular diet which includes a lot of cholesterol-rich food are often advised by their doctors to take cholesterol-lowering statins regularly.

While doctors maintain that increased levels of cholesterol in the body can prove to be harmful and they block arteries and don't let the blood flow smoothly in the body, a certain level of cholesterol in the body is essential for the smooth function of the body as it helps to build and maintain cell membranes. However, when one uses statins, there is a limited production of cholesterol in the body which in turn prevents cancer cells from growing in the body, gradually killing the bacteria.

Nielsen and his colleagues state that the consumption of cholesterol-lowering statins reduces the chances of dying because of being diagnosed with cancer by 15 percent.