Cancer risk in older people receiving statin therapy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Although statins are well tolerated by most aged people, their potential carcinogenicity is considered as one of the biggest factors limiting the use of statins. The aim of the present study was to determine the risk of cancer in people aged over 60 years receiving statin therapy.

A comprehensive search for articles published up to December 2015 was performed, reviews of each randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of statin mono-therapy with placebo on the risk of cancer in people aged > 60 years were conducted and data abstracted. All the included studies were evaluated for publication bias and heterogeneity. Pooled odds ratios (OR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random effects model.

A total of 12 RCTs, involving 62,927 patients (31,517 in statin therapy group and 31,410 in control group), with a follow-up duration of 1.9-5.4 years, contributed to the analysis. The statin therapy did not affect the overall incidence of cancer (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.94-1.14, P = 0.52); subgroup analyses showed that neither the variety nor the chemical properties of the statins accounted for the incidence of cancer in older people.

Our meta-analysis findings do not support a potential cancer risk of statin treatment in people over 60 years old. Further targeted researches with a longer follow-up duration are warranted to confirm this issue.