This common drug used to lower high cholesterol would also protect the liver from an aggressive tumor
January 30, 2022 by James Reno
Research continues drug trials, often discovering that some drugs also have different effects than known ones. We have already seen several times, on the pages of ProiezionidiBorsa, cases in which a drug reveals unknown side effects or unexpected benefits.
Today we report the findings of authoritative research conducted at the National Taiwan University College of Public Health in Taipei. The research examines the “side effects” of statins. Researchers would have found that this common drug used to lower cholesterol would also have other benefits for our body. In particular, the use of statins could play a key role in preventing a particular tumor that attacks the liver.
When the liver risks hepatocarcinoma
The second cause of cancer death in the world is represented by hepatocellular carcinoma. It is a particularly aggressive form of cancer, which affects the liver. Hepatocarcinoma is also a particularly silent tumor, in the early stages of the disease, therefore difficult to diagnose. The first symptoms with which it can usually occur are: weight loss, fluid retention, fatigue, loss of appetite.
But we know that there are factors that increase the risk. In fact, this liver cancer often affects those already suffering from cirrhosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and metabolic syndrome.
Researchers at the National Taiwan University College of Public Health in Taipei focused their attention above all on livers with hepatitis C. Their intent was to verify whether the use of statins, a drug usually used to lower bad cholesterol, could reduce the risk of hepatocarcinoma. The research took as a reference a large sample of patients, collecting the data that we summarize below.
This common drug used to lower high cholesterol would also protect the liver from an aggressive tumor
As anticipated, some Taiwanese researchers have studied the effect of statins on the prevention of hepatocellular cancer, a particularly aggressive cancer that affects the liver. The researchers examined a sample of 261,000 hepatitis C patients, monitored from 1999 to 2010. The observational study is not sufficient to recommend statins as a suitable drug for treating this type of cancer. However, experts say, statin use appears to match a reduction in the risk of this particular liver cancer. But there is more: experts say that prolonged use of statins, in addition to discouraging the formation of liver cancer, would also limit the hepatitis C virus.
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(The information in this article is for informational purposes only and does not in any way substitute for medical advice and / or the opinion of a specialist. Furthermore, it does not constitute an element for formulating a diagnosis or for prescribing a treatment. For this reason it is recommended, in any case, to always seek the opinion of a doctor or a specialist and to read the warnings regarding this article and the author’s responsibilities which can be consulted. HERE”)