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Clinical Summary

Statin use may lower risk of hepatocellular carcinoma

Takeaway

  • Statin use was significantly associated with reductions in the risk of hepatocellular cancer (HCC).
  • Risk reduction was greater in patients with diabetes and liver cirrhosis.

Why this matters

  • Findings provide additional evidence supporting the beneficial inhibitory effect of statins on HCC incidence.

Study design

  • 24 observational studies involving 59,073 patients with HCC met eligibility criteria after a search across PubMed, EMBASE and other databases.
  • Funding: The Ministry of Education and Science and Technology.

Key results

  • Statin users vs nonusers were at lower risk of HCC development (risk ratio [RR], 0.54; 95% CI, 0.47-0.61; I2=84.39%).
  • In the secondary analysis, statin use vs no use was associated with a reduced risk of HCC in patients:
    • with (RR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.28-0.70) and without (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.48-0.69) diabetes mellitus;
    • with (RR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.30-0.42) and without (RR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.35-0.71) liver cirrhosis; and
    • antiviral therapy (RR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08-0.59).
  • In the subgroup analysis, risk reduction was greater with:
    • fluvastatin (RR 0.41, 95% CI: 0.25–0.66);
    • lovastatin (RR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.21–0.86);
    • rosuvastatin (RR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.26–0.84).
  • Higher cumulative doses of statins use were associated with greater risk reductions vs lower cumulative doses of statins.

Limitations

  • Heterogeneity among studies.
  • Risk of potential confounding.

References


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