Gene Test Reveals Statin Users Also Benefited from lesser Colorectal Cancer Risk

A Gene test could ascertain which individuals taking cholesterol-reducing statins could garner maximum gain in addition to decreasing their risk of colorectal cancer. This was the study finding which was conducted recently at the Univ. of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The investigators had earlier proved that statin drugs – used by twenty-five million individuals globally on a daily basis for reducing their chances of developing heart ailments – could curb their chances of developing colorectal cancer by fifty percent. However, statin drugs do not seem to have analogous functioning for all people in decreasing colorectal cancer or heart ailment risk.

A senior author of the study and director, cancer prevention and control, U-M Comprehensive Cancer Study, Dr. Stephen Gruber stated that their research is a preliminary gait in the direction of modified avoidance. Several individuals have been benefited considerably from statin drugs as compared to others for reducing cholesterol as well as avoiding colorectal cancer.

The novel study to be printed in the May edition of Cancer Prevention Research indicated that a heritable variant affected the manner in which statin drugs controlled colorectal cancer as well as heart ailment risk.

Gruber who helmed the study stated that they have discovered a genetic test which could uncover which people would possibly be benefited from the use of this medication.

The study group analyzed 2,138 North Israelis that had been identified with colon cancer and 2,049 analogous individuals who were colon cancer free. All entrants were queried regarding their usage of statins for reducing cholesterol. Statin drugs are presently not employed for preventing colorectal cancer.

Furthermore, the investigators drew blood samples from all the study entrants and did an analysis of the genes. They observed that the HMGCR gene which the statin drugs target is the analogous gene which forecasts the medication’s advantages in decreasing risk of developing colorectal cancer as well as cholesterol in the long edition of the gene.

Gruber explicated that it is precisely the similar mechanism being employed for reducing cholesterol as it is for reducing risk of developing colorectal cancer. This is pertinent solely in case of those individuals that are truly statin users. The genetics test on its own does not predict if one is at a greater risk of developing colon cancer and it solely forecasts how ably statin drugs could reduce the risk.

The study investigators pointed out that it is uncomplicated to comprehend whether statins are successful in reducing cholesterol, however their upshots on preventing colorectal cancer is not that obvious. The gene test thus comes into the picture to fix this shortcoming.

Gruber stated that it is understood that the reasons behind why statin drugs reduce the possibility of colorectal cancer developing is possibly associated with it being capable of reducing cholesterol and decreasing inflammation which is a critical part of the manner in which colon cancer develops. However, irrespective of whether it is linked to cholesterol levels on its own or inflammation, it is more vital to understand who would be the apt candidates for the usage of such medications.

Presently there is no approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for statin drugs in preventing colorectal cancer and there is absence of any genetic test for ascertaining statin’s efficacies.