Should We Use Statins During the Therapy of Metastatic Renal Cancer? - Abstract
Statins are a class of drugs which primarily funcion as competitive inhibitors of
HMG-CoA reductase. There are numerous studies investigating the effect of statins on
cancer patients with contradictory and controversial results. Regarding renal cancer,
current research show that the effect of adjuvant statin therapy during the treatment
of metastatic renal cancer differs greatly based on targeted treatment drug. Using
available research, we propose that the elevation of cholesterol levels during the
targeted treatment of renal cancer patients with sunitinib, might originate from the
destruction of cancer cells and thus not necessarily requiring introduction of statin
therapy without additional investigation. The study which we hope will shed some light
on the issue is currently undergoing in our Clinic.