Statins Are Associated with Improved Survival After Colon Cancer Diagnosis

Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and also statins, have been shown to reduce the risk for incident colorectal cancer. Regular aspirin use has also been shown to improve survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis.

In the current retrospective study, researchers evaluated the effect of statins on colon cancer survival among 1000 patients treated in 10 hospitals in the Netherlands. Colon but not rectal cancers were considered. Twenty-one percent were statin users, defined as patients receiving a prescription for statins for 14 days or more after colon cancer diagnosis. The mean number of statin prescriptions per patient was 23.

Five-year survival in statin nonusers was 55%, compared with 66% for users. After adjustment for confo…