Key result
Concurrent statin use did not significantly improve overall survival rates compared to non-use in patients with cancer receiving radiotherapy (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.99-1.69).
Why the study?
Data on the impacts of statin use on survival outcomes and adverse events in patients with cancer receiving radiotherapy were limited and conflicting.
Does concurrent oral statin use improve overall survival and reduce radiotherapy-related adverse events in adult patients with cancer receiving radiotherapy?
Meta-Analysis (n=23,467)
Does concurrent oral statin use improve overall survival and reduce radiotherapy-related adverse events in adult patients with cancer receiving radiotherapy?
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Concurrent statin use during radiotherapy does not significantly improve overall survival across all cancers, but its effects vary by cancer type and it may influence specific radiotherapy-related adverse events.
Given limited and conflicting data, this systematic review and meta-analysis investigate the impacts of statin use on survival outcomes and adverse events in patients with cancer receiving radiotherapy. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed (January 2000 to June 2024) included studies on adults (≥ 18 years) with histologically confirmed cancer receiving oral statins during radiotherapy. Overall survival (OS) rates and radiotherapy-related adverse effects were compared between statin users and non-users using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Meta-regression explored the effects of cancer type and statin intensity on OS rates, reported as coefficients (β) and 95%CI. Of 21 studies (19 cohort studies and two randomized trials), OS rates did not significantly differ between statin users and non-users (OR: 1.29; 95%CI: 0.99, 1.69) or by statin intensity (β: 0.20; 95%CI: -1.22, 1.62; p = 0.60), but significantly by cancer types (β: -0.29; 95%CI: -0.45, -0.13; p < 0.01). Statin use was associated with improved survival in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), head and neck SCC, glioblastoma, and prostate cancer, but with reduced survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and brain metastases. Statin users had a higher risk of major adverse cardiac events (OR: 2.22; 95%CI: 1.38, 3.59) in NSCLC and ≥ grade 2 mucositis (OR: 26.00; 95%CI: 4.09, 165.10) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma but lower risks of ischemic stroke (OR: 0.80; 95%CI: 0.67, 0.95) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and rectal toxicity (OR: 0.45; 95%CI: 0.23, 0.88) in prostate cancer. Survival outcomes did not significantly differ by statin use or intensity but varied by cancer type. Statin users had lower risks of ischemic stroke and rectal toxicity. Further studies are needed to control for confounding biases. PROSPERO registration CRD42023487336.
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Shokr et al. (2025) conducted a meta-analysis in Cancer receiving radiotherapy (n=23,467). Oral statins vs. Non-users was evaluated on Overall survival (OS) rates (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.99, 1.69). Concurrent statin use did not significantly improve overall survival rates compared to non-use in patients with cancer receiving radiotherapy (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.99-1.69).
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