Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs and Cancer

[Guest guest]

Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs and Cancer

By: Shane Ellison, M.Sc.

 

2005

 

www.healthmyths.net

 

 

 

The use of cholesterol-lowering drugs for the prevention of heart

disease may increase your chances of suffering from the pandemic

killer known as cancer. Few doctors are aware of this real and

present danger.

 

 

 

Well-designed studies have shown the link between cholesterol-lowering

drug use and cancer. In a study published in the Journal of the

American Medical Association (JAMA), Thomas B. Newman MD, MPH and

co-workers show that all cholesterol-lowering drugs, both the early

drugs known as fibrates (glofibrate, gemfibrozil) and the newer drugs

known as statins (Lipitor, Pravachol, Zocor), cause cancer in rodents

at the equivalent doses used by man.[1]

 

 

 

The extrapolation of evidence of cancer from rodent to human is very

uncertain. This is the argument of those in favor of using

cholesterol-lowering drugs. The argument would only be plausible if

human studies also showed an increase in cancer rates. And in fact,

that is what science is showing.

 

 

 

Evidence from the cholesterol-lowering drug trial known as CARE

(Cholesterol And Recurrent Events) showed that Pravachol™ (a

cholesterol-lowering drug made by Bristol-Myer Squib) reduced the

chance of suffering from a heart attack by an absolute reduction rate

of 1.1%. This miniscule benefit was accompanied by a 1500% increase

in breast cancer among women taking Pravachol. An increase in cancer

rates among Pravachol users was also shown in the drug trial known as

PROSPER. (citation)

 

 

 

It is rare that cancer would show up in most other

cholesterol-lowering drug trials. Drug company-funded studies for

these drugs are conveniently short in nature, typically 5 years or

less. It can take decades for cancer to develop. Therefore, cancer

rarely shows up. In fact, even heavy smoking will not cause lung

cancer within 5 years.[2] Yet it is a well-known fact that smoking

leads to lung cancer. Therefore, as long as statin drug trials last

only 5 years, this side effect will continue to fly below the radar.

 

 

 

If cancer were to show up as a negative side effect, there is concern

whether or not it would be reported. The British Medical Journal

(BMJ) has reported that of 164 statin drug trials reviewed, only 48

reported the number of participants with one or more negative side

effects caused by the drug.[3]

 

 

 

 

 

As if in recognition of this, attempts have been made to warn the

public. Dr. Gloria Troendle, deputy director for the Division of

Metabolism and Endocrine Drug Products for the FDA, noted that the

cholesterol-lowering drug gemfibrozil belonged to a class of drugs

that has repeatedly been shown to increase death rates among users.

Moreover, Dr. Troendle stated that she does not believe the FDA has

ever approved a drug for long-term use that was as cancer causing at

human doses as gemfibrozil. Elizabeth Barbehenn, PhD, concluded to

the FDA, " fibrates must be considered as potential human carcinogens

and their carcinogenic potential should be part of the risk benefit

equation for evaluating gemfibrozil. "

 

 

 

Historically, FDA advisors were reluctant to approve the

cholesterol-lowering drugs. When asked to vote whether or not the

cholesterol-lowering drug gemfibrozil should be approved for the

prevention of heart disease, only 3 out of 9 members of the FDA

advisory committee voted in favor of approval. Unfortunately, these

votes are only " advisory " and the FDA decided to approve gemfibrozil

for human consumption against the better judgment of the committee.

 

 

 

One mechanism by which cholesterol-lowering drugs may cause cancer has

been identified. Published in Nature Medicine, Dr. Michael Simons of

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston shows that statin drugs

mimic a substance known as vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF).

The biochemical VEGF promotes the growth of new blood vessels, a

process known as angiogenesis. While angiogenesis may help the growth

of arteries, the benefit is quickly negated by the potential for

growth of cancer. The British Journal of Cancer reports that VEGF

plays an important role in the spread of colorectal cancer. Further,

for those who already have tumors, VEGF and compounds that mimic VEGF

significantly diminishes that person's survival time.[4] [5]

 

 

 

Benefits associated with cholesterol-lowering drugs do not exceed

risk. Looking at the " statin-drug trials, " not a single

cholesterol-lowering drug prevented all-cause death rates when

compared to a placebo. In laymen terms, this means that none of these

drugs prevented early death from heart disease.(citation)

 

 

 

USA Today reported that, " Statins have killed and injured more people

than the government has acknowledged. " [6] Oblivious to their dangers,

medical doctors are calling cholesterol-lowering drugs the " new

aspirin " and are even recommending that children be prescribed

cholesterol-lowering drugs.

 

 

 

The medical community failed to protect the public from Vioxx™. Now

they are failing to protect them from the dangers of

cholesterol-lowering drugs.

 

 

 

Health and longevity was not meant to be risky, complicated or

expensive. To attenuate the risk of using cholesterol-lowering drugs

while preventing heart disease, the general public must utilize

healthy lifestyle habits. Most notably, that would be the act of

quitting sugar and artificial flavors while minimizing grain products

from the diet. This will prove to be simple, effective and most

affordable.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

 

Shane holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand

industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. He

understands that Americans want and deserve education rather than

prescriptions. His shocking e-book surrounding cholesterol-lowering

drugs and HEART DISEASE can be downloaded for FREE as a pdf file at

www.health-fx.net/eBook.pdf. His life saving book Health Myths Exposed

is available at www.healthmyths.net.

 

 

 

[1] Newman, Thomas B. et al. Carcinogenicity of Lipid-Lowering Drugs.

JAMA. January 3, 1996-Vol 275, No. 1.

 

[2] Ravnskov, Uffe. Statins as the new aspirin. Letters. BMJ. 2002;

324:789 (30 March).

 

[3] Law, M.R. et al. Quantifying effect of statins on low-density

lipoprotein cholesterol, ischaemic heart disease, and stroke:

systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2003 June 28; 326 (7404): 1423.

 

[4] Akagi K. et al. Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C)

_expression in human colorectal cancer tissues. Br J Cancer. 2000

Oct; 83 (7):887-91.

 

[5] Nature Medicine September, 2000;6:965-966, 1004-1010.

 

[6] Sternberg, Steve. USA Today. 08/20/2001.