Neither long-term statin use nor atherosclerotic disease is associated with risk of colorectal cancer

Statins and Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Population-Based Case-Control Study and Synthesis of the Epidemiological Evidence

(1) Background: The pleiotropic effects of statins may explain a chemoprotective action against colorectal cancer (CRC). Many studies have tested this hypothesis, but results have been inconsistent so far. Moreover, few have examined statins individually which is important for determining whether there is a class effect and if lipophilicity and intensity may play a role. (2) Methods: From 2001–2014, we carried out a study comprised of 15,491 incident CRC cases and 60,000 matched controls extracted from the primary healthcare database BIFAP. We fit a logistic regression model to compute the adjusted-odds ratios (AOR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Additionally, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis. (3) Results: Current use of statins showed a reduced risk of CRC (AOR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.83–0.91) not sustained after discontinuation. The association was time-dependent, starting early (AOR_{6months–1year} = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76–0.96) but weakened beyond 3-years. A class effect was suggested, although only significant for simvastatin and rosuvastatin. The risk reduction was more marked among individuals aged 70 or younger, and among moderate-high intensity users. Forty-eight studies were included in the meta-analysis (pooled-effect-size = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.86–0.93). (4) Conclusions: Results from the case-control study and the pooled evidence support a moderate chemoprotective effect of statins on CRC risk, modified by duration, intensity, and age.

Risk of lower gastrointestinal bleeding and colorectal neoplasms following initiation of low-dose aspirin: a Danish population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Aspirin may increase the risk of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) from precursors of colorectal cancer (CRC). We investigated whether use of low-dose aspirin, through initiation of LGIB, may lead patients to undergo colonoscopy and polypectomy before manifest CRC.

DESIGN

We conducted a historical cohort study (2005-2013) of all Danish residents who initiated low-dose aspirin treatment (n=412 202) in a setting without screening for CRC. Each new aspirin user was matched with three non-users (n=1 236 560) by age, sex and region of residence on the date of their matched new user's first-time aspirin prescription (index date). We computed absolute risks (ARs), risk differences and relative risks (RRs) of LGIB, lower gastrointestinal endoscopy, colorectal polyps and CRC, comparing aspirin users with non-users.

RESULTS

The ARs were higher for new users than non-users for LGIB, lower gastrointestinal endoscopy, colorectal polyps and CRC within 3 months after index. Comparing new users with non-users, the RRs were 2.79 (95% CI 2.40 to 3.24) for LGIB, 1.73 (95% CI 1.63 to 1.84) for lower gastrointestinal endoscopy, 1.56 (95% CI 1.42 to 1.72) for colorectal polyps and 1.73 (95% CI 1.51 to 1.98) for CRC. The RRs remained elevated for more than 12 months after the index date, with the exception of CRC where the RRs were slightly decreased during the 3-5 years (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.98) and more than 5 years (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.00) following the index date.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that aspirin may contribute to reduce CRC risk by causing premalignant polyps to bleed, thereby expediting colonoscopy and polypectomy before CRC development.

Coexistence of Colorectal Adenomas and Coronary Calcification in Asymptomatic Men and Women

GOALS

Because of shared risk factors between clinically manifest cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer, we hypothesized the coexistence of subclinical atherosclerosis measured by coronary artery calcium (CAC) and colorectal adenoma (CRA) and that these 2 processes would also share common risk factors.

BACKGROUND

No study has directly compared the risk factors associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis and CRA.

STUDY

This was a cross-sectional study using multinomial logistic regression analysis of 4859 adults who participated in a health screening examination (2010 to 2011; analysis 2014 to 2015). CAC scores were categorized as 0, 1 to 100, or >100. Colonoscopy results were categorized as absent, low-risk, or high-risk CRA.

RESULTS

The prevalence of CAC>0, CAC 1 to 100 and >100 was 13.0%, 11.0%, and 2.0%, respectively. The prevalence of any CRA, low-risk CRA, and high-risk CRA was 15.1%, 13.0%, and 2.1%, respectively. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for CAC>0 comparing participants with low-risk and high-risk CRA with those without any CRA were 1.35 (1.06-1.71) and 2.09 (1.29-3.39), respectively. Similarly, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for any CRA comparing participants with CAC 1 to 100 and CAC>100 with those with no CAC were 1.26 (1.00-1.6) and 2.07 (1.31-3.26), respectively. Age, smoking, diabetes, and family history of CRC were significantly associated with both conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a graded association between CAC and CRA in apparently healthy individuals. The coexistence of both conditions further emphasizes the need for more evidence of comprehensive approaches to screening and the need to consider the impact of the high risk of coexisting disease in individuals with CAC or CRA, instead of piecemeal approaches restricted to the detection of each disease independently.

Statin consumption as a risk factor for developing colorectal cancer: a retrospective case study

BACKGROUND

Statins are the backbone of lipid-lowering therapy and are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the elderly population in Sweden today. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in men and women, after prostate and breast cancer, respectively, with a median age of 72 years at diagnosis. Statins induce mitochondrial damage leading to accumulation of reactive oxygen species in the cell. Reactive oxygen species can cause mutations in mitochondrial as well as nuclear DNA leading to the development of cancer. Our hypothesis was that statins increase the risk for colorectal cancer.

METHODS

A case study was performed on consecutive cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed at Norrlands University Hospital (NUS) in Umeå between 2012 and 2015 (n = 325). Patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type II (DM II n = 65) were excluded in the primary endpoint analysis (occurrence of colorectal cancer). As control, three databases were used to create an age-matched population in order to calculate the proportion of inhabitants using statins in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden. A secondary endpoint was cancer-specific survival among our study group of colorectal cancer patients, including those with DM II, investigating whether there was a difference if the patient was a 'recent' statin user or not at the time of diagnosis.

RESULTS

Statin use at the time of colorectal cancer diagnosis in the study group was 23.8%. The corresponding figure in an age-matched population in Västerbotten was 24.6%. Using a one-proportional one-sided z test, there was no significant difference between these (23.8%, 95% CI 18.6-29.0%, p = 0.601). When comparing groups 20-64 years of age, the difference was greater with recent statin use in 17.8% in the study population and 11.9% in Västerbotten (17.8%, 95% CI 9.0-26.6%, p = 0.059). When considering cancer-specific survival, no significant difference in survival was seen when comparing 'former/never' statin users as reference category with 'recent' users diagnosed with colorectal cancer (HR 1.39, 95% CI 0.89-2.16).

CONCLUSIONS

No significant increase in risk for developing colorectal cancer among patients (type II diabetics excluded) medicated with statins was found. We found no correlation between 'recent' statin use at the time of diagnosis and cancer-specific survival.

Concomitant Statin Use Has a Favorable Effect on Gemcitabine-Erlotinib Combination Chemotherapy for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

PURPOSE

Erlotinib-gemcitabine combined chemotherapy is considered as the standard treatment for unresectable pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to determine the clinical factors associated with response to this treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 180 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer who received ≥2 cycles of gemcitabine-erlotinib combination therapy as first-line palliative chemotherapy between 2006 and 2014. "Long-term response" was defined as tumor stabilization after >6 chemotherapy cycles.

RESULTS

The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 3.9 and 8.1 months, respectively. On univariate analysis, liver metastasis (p=0.023) was negatively correlated with long-term response. Locally advanced stage (p=0.017), a history of statin treatment (p=0.01), and carcinoembryonic antigen levels <4.5 (p=0.029) had a favorable effect on long-term response. On multivariate analysis, a history of statin treatment was the only independent favorable factor for long-term response (p=0.017). Prognostic factors for OS and PFS were significantly correlated with liver metastasis (p=0.031 and 0.013, respectively). A history of statin treatment was also significantly associated with OS after adjusting for all potential confounders (hazard ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.92; p=0.026).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that statins have a favorable effect on "long-term response" to gemcitabine-erlotinib chemotherapy in unresectable pancreatic cancer patients. Statins may have a chemoadjuvant role in stabilizing long-term tumor growth.

Association Between Colorectal Cancer and Atherosclerotic Diseases: A Study Using a National Inpatient Database in Japan

BACKGROUND

Both colorectal neoplasms and atherosclerosis can be induced by common visceral fat accumulation. However, the association between these diseases at the advanced stage, colorectal cancer and cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases, has not been elucidated.

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the association between colorectal cancer and vascular diseases in relation to obesity and metabolic disorders, using a nationwide database of hospitalized patients in Japan. We used non-cardiac gastric cancer patients as a reference, because they were considered to be neutral for obesity or metabolic disorders.

METHODS

We identified 54,591 patients with colorectal cancer and 19,565 patients with gastric cancer from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. The data collected included: sex; age; body mass index (BMI); smoking status; comorbidity; and medication data, comprising hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and stroke. We compared these data in a cross-sectional setting by multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that female sex, increased BMI, hypertension [odds ratio (OR) 1.11; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.15; P < 0.0001], and diabetes (OR 1.17; 95 % CI 1.12-1.23; P < 0.0001) were more associated with colorectal cancer than with gastric cancer. Smoking, aspirin use (OR 0.85; 95 % CI 0.79-0.92; P < 0.0001), and coronary artery disease (OR 0.90; 95 % CI 0.86-0.95; P = 0.0001) were inversely associated with colorectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity and metabolic disorders were more associated with colorectal cancer than with non-cardiac gastric cancer, while coronary artery disease (CAD) was inversely associated. Some mechanisms involving separate populations of colorectal cancer and CAD under visceral fat accumulation might be suggested.

The Role of Aspirin, Vitamin D, Exercise, Diet, Statins, and Metformin in the Prevention and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a worldwide health problem leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Several strategies based on either lifestyle modifications or pharmacological interventions have been developed in an attempt to reduce the risk of CRC. In this review article, we discuss these interventions including aspirin (and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), vitamin D, exercise, diet, statins, and metformin. Depending upon the risk of developing CRC, the current evidence supports the beneficial role of aspirin, vitamin D, diet, and exercise especially in high-risk individuals (advanced adenoma or CRC). However, even with these established interventions, there are significant knowledge gaps such as doses of aspirin and 25-hydroxy vitamin D are not well established. Similarly, there is no convincing data from randomized controlled trials that a high fiber diet or a low animal fat diet reduces the risk of CRC. Some potential interventions, such as statins and metformin, do not have convincing data for clinical use even in high-risk individuals. However, these may have emerging roles in the prevention and treatment of CRC. Greater understanding of molecular mechanisms and the application of genomic tools to risk stratify an individual and tailor the interventions based on that individual's risk will help further advance the field. Some of this work is already underway and is a focus of this article.

Statins and the risk of colorectal cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of 40 studies

AIM

To investigate the association between statin use and colorectal cancer risk, we conducted an updated meta-analysis of published studies.

METHODS

We performed a comprehensive search for studies published up to July 2013. Eligible studies for this meta-analysis were either randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or observational studies (case-control or cohort) evaluating any exposure to statins and the risk of colorectal cancer. Two reviewers selected studies based on predefined inclusion criteria, and abstracted the data. Pooled relative risk (RR) estimates with their 95%CI were calculated using fixed- and random-effects models. Then, we assessed the potential presence of publication bias and between-studies heterogeneity. To evaluate the results, we also performed a "leave-one-out" sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 40 studies, involving more than eight million subjects, contributed to the analysis. They were grouped on the basis of study design and, consequently, three separate meta-analyses were conducted. A similar modest reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer with statin use was observed, which was not statistically significant among RCTs (RR = 0.89, 95%CI: 0.74-1.07; n = 8), but reached statistical significance among cohort studies (RR = 0.91, 95%CI: 0.83-1.00; n = 13) and case-control studies (RR = 0.92, 95%CI: 0.87-0.98; n = 19). While we did not find significant evidence of selective outcome reporting or publication bias, substantial heterogeneity was detected, mainly among the observational studies. The sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of our results.

CONCLUSION

A modest reduction in risk of colorectal cancer among statin users cannot be disproved. Further targeted research is warranted.

Association between statin use and colorectal cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 42 studies

PURPOSE

There is a long-standing debate about whether statins have chemopreventive properties against colorectal cancer (CRC), but the results remain inconclusive. We therefore present a meta-analysis to investigate the association between statin use and risk of CRC.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was undertaken through July 2013 looking for eligible studies. Pooled relative risk (RR) estimates and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to calculate estimated effect.

RESULTS

Forty-two studies [18 case-control studies, 13 cohort studies, and 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs)] were included in this analysis. Overall, statin use was associated with a modest reduction in the risk of CRC (RR = 0.90, 95 % CI 0.86-0.95). When the analyses were stratified into subgroups, a significant decreased association of CRC risk was observed in observational studies (RR = 0.89, 95 % CI 0.84-0.95), rectal cancer (RR = 0.81, 95 % CI 0.66-0.99), and lipophilic statin (RR = 0.88, 95 % CI 0.85-0.93), but not in RCTs (RR = 0.96, 95 % CI 0.85-1.08), colon cancer, and hydrophilic statin. However, long-term statin use (≥5 years) did not significantly affect the risk of CRC (RR = 0.96, 95 % CI 0.90-1.03). Cumulative meta-analysis showed that statin use significantly reduces the risk of CRC, which has been available between 2007 and 2013.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that statin use is associated with a modest reduced risk of CRC; apparent associations were found for lipophilic statin use. However, long-term statin use did not appear to significantly affect the risk of CRC.

Beyond aspirin-cancer prevention with statins, metformin and bisphosphonates

Cancer risk reduction using pharmacological means is an attractive modern preventive approach that supplements the classical behavioural prevention recommendations. Medications that are commonly used by large populations to treat a variety of common, non-cancer-related, medical situations are an attractive candidate pool. This Review discusses three pharmacological agents with the most evidence for their potential as cancer chemopreventive agents: anti-hypercholesterolaemia medications (statins), an antidiabetic agent (metformin) and antiosteoporosis drugs (bisphosphonates). Data are accumulating to support a significant negative association of certain statins with cancer occurrence or survival in several major tumour sites (mostly gastrointestinal tumours and breast cancer), with an augmented combined effect with aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Metformin, but not other hypoglycaemic drugs, also seems to have some antitumour growth activity, but the amount of evidence in human studies, mainly in breast cancer, is still limited. Experimental and observational data have identified bisphosphonates as a pharmacological group that could have significant impact on incidence and mortality of more than one subsite of malignancy. At the current level of evidence these potential chemopreventive drugs should be considered in high-risk situations or using the personalized approach of maximizing individual benefits and minimizing the potential for adverse effects with the aid of pharmacogenetic indicators.

Risk of colorectal cancer in patients with acute myocardial infarction and stroke: a nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

An association between colorectal cancer and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke has been suggested, but evidence is conflicting.

METHOD

We conducted a population-based cohort study (1978-2010) of the association between AMI/stroke and colorectal cancer by linking nationwide Danish registries. We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIR) of colorectal cancer after AMI/stroke as the ratios of observed to expected incidence.

RESULTS

A total of 297,523 patients with AMI (median age, 69.4 years; 64% men) were followed for a median of 3.1 years (range, 0-33 years) and 4,387 developed colorectal cancer [SIR, 1.08; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05-1.11; P < 0.001]. In the first year of follow-up, the SIR was 1.85 (95% CI, 1.73-1.98; P < 0.001), whereas it was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.95-1.02; P = 0.318) in the second and subsequent years. We followed 246,998 patients with stroke (median age, 72.4 years; 52% men) for a median of 2.9 years (range, 0-33 years) and 3,035 developed colorectal cancer (SIR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.07; P = 0.053). In the first year of follow-up, the SIR was 1.42 (95% CI, 1.31-1.53; P < 0.001), whereas it was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93-1.00; P = 0.072) thereafter. We found no difference between the SIRs for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. The increased one-year relative risks for AMI and stroke corresponded to a 0.3% absolute risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings reflect detection of occult cancer at the time of the vascular event. The lack of increased risk after one year suggests that an association based on shared risk factors or chronic inflammation is unlikely.

IMPACT

In patients with AMI/stroke, the diagnostic workup including screening for colorectal cancer should follow that of the general population.

Statins and colorectal cancer

The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, more commonly referred to as statins, comprise a family of lipid-lowering drugs that are prescribed on a global scale on account of their proven safety and efficacy in reducing mortality from cardiovascular disease. Beyond their potent pharmacologic inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis, statins appear to have pleiotropic effects, including modulation of cell growth, apoptosis, and inflammation. Through modulation of these pathways, statins have the potential to influence a wide range of disease processes, including cancer. Much attention has focused on the association between statins and colorectal cancer, raising the prospect that these well-tolerated compounds could form the basis of future chemopreventive strategies. Herein, we review the epidemiologic, clinical, and preclinical data relevant to statins and colorectal neoplasia, and discuss the current status and future potential of statins as chemopreventive agents.

A prospective study of bisphosphonate use and risk of colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

Bisphosphonates are used for the treatment of bone metastases and have been associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. A recent case-control study showed an inverse association between bisphosphonate use and colorectal cancer. Data from prospective cohorts are lacking.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We prospectively examined the relationship between bisphosphonate use and risk of colorectal cancer among 86,277 women enrolled onto the Nurses Health Study (NHS). Since 1998, participants have returned biennial questionnaires in which they were specifically queried about the regular use of bisphosphonates. We used Cox proportional hazards models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for risk of colorectal cancer.

RESULTS

Through 2008, we documented 801 cases of colorectal cancer over 814,406 person-years of follow-up. The age-adjusted HR for women who regularly used bisphosphonates was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.73 to 1.14) and was further attenuated after adjustment for other risk factors (multivariate HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.82 to 1.33). The risk was not influenced by duration of use (P(trend) = 0.79). Compared with nonusers, the multivariate-adjusted HRs of colorectal cancer were 1.24 (95% CI, 0.94 to 1.64) for women with 1 to 2 years of use, 1.16 (95% CI, 0.79 to 1.69) for 3 to 4 years of use, and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.60 to 1.56) for ≥ 5 years of use. There was no association between bisphosphonate use and colorectal cancer within strata of other risk factors.

CONCLUSION

In a large prospective cohort, we did not observe an association between long-term use of bisphosphonates and risk of colorectal cancer.

Use of metformin is not associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer: a case-control analysis

BACKGROUND

To explore the association between use of metformin or other antidiabetic drugs and the risk of colorectal cancer.

METHODS

Using the United Kingdom-based General Practice Research Database (GPRD), we conducted a nested case-control analysis in patients with diabetes mellitus. Cases had an incident diagnosis of colorectal cancer, and up to 6 controls per case were matched on age, sex, calendar time, general practice, and number of years of active history in the GPRD prior to the index date. Results were adjusted for multiple potential confounders.

RESULTS

We identified 920 diabetic patients with colorectal cancer. Mean age ± SD was 70.2 ± 8.6 years and 63.3% were male. Extensive use (≥50 prescriptions) of metformin was associated with a slightly increased risk of colorectal cancer (adjusted OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.08-1.90) as compared with non use, with an adjustment of OR = 1.81 (95% CI: 1.25-2.62) in men and of 1.00 (95% CI: 0.63-1.58) in women. Neither extensive use of sulfonylureas (adjusted OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.60-1.03) nor insulin (adjusted OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.63-1.28) were associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. A long-term history of diabetes (>10 years) was not associated with a materially increased risk of colorectal cancer compared with short-term diabetes duration (<2 years; adjusted OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.90-1.46).

CONCLUSION

Use of metformin was linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer in men. Use of sulfonylureas or insulin was not associated with an altered risk of colorectal cancer.

IMPACT

Metformin does not prevent colorectal cancer.

Statin use and colorectal cancer risk according to molecular subtypes in two large prospective cohort studies

Use of statins is hypothesized to reduce colorectal cancer risk but the evidence remains inconsistent. This may be partly explained by differential associations according to tumor location or molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer. We examined the association between statin use and colorectal cancer risk according to tumor location, KRAS mutation status, microsatellite instability (MSI) status, PTGS2 (COX-2) expression, or CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) status in two large prospective cohort studies, the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. We applied Cox regression to a competing risks analysis. We identified 1,818 colorectal cancers during 1990 to 2006. Compared with nonusers, current statin use was not associated with colorectal cancer [relative risk (RR) = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.86-1.14] or colon cancer (RR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.94-1.29) but was inversely associated with rectal cancer (RR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.41-0.84, P(heterogeneity) < 0.001). When we examined the association within strata of KRAS mutation status, we found no association with KRAS-mutated cancers (RR = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.87-1.67) but did observe a possible inverse association among KRAS wild-type cancers (RR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.60-1.06, P(heterogeneity) = 0.06). The association did not substantially differ by PTGS2 expression, MSI status, or CIMP status. Current statin use was not associated with risk of overall colorectal cancer. The possibility that statin use may be associated with lower risk of rectal cancer or KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer requires further confirmation.

Relationship between statin use and colon cancer recurrence and survival: results from CALGB 89803

BACKGROUND

Although preclinical and epidemiological data suggest that statins may have antineoplastic properties, the impact of statin use on patient survival after a curative resection of stage III colon cancer is unknown.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective observational study of 842 patients with stage III colon cancer enrolled in a randomized adjuvant chemotherapy trial from April 1999 to May 2001 to investigate the relationship between statin use and survival. Disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were investigated by Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests in the overall study population and in a subset of patients stratified by KRAS mutation status (n = 394), and Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the simultaneous impact of confounding variables. All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS

Among 842 patients, 134 (15.9%) reported statin use after completing adjuvant chemotherapy. DFS among statin users and nonusers was similar (hazard ratio [HR] of cancer recurrence or death = 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.73 to 1.49). RFS and OS were also similar between statin users and nonusers (adjusted HR of cancer recurrence = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.77 to 1.69; adjusted HR of death = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.77 to 1.71). Survival outcomes were similar regardless of increasing duration of statin use before cancer diagnosis (P(trend) = .63, .63, and .59 for DFS, RFS, and OS, respectively). The impact of statin use did not differ by tumor KRAS mutation status, with similar DFS, RFS, and OS for statin use among mutant and wild-type subgroups (P(interaction) = .84, .67, and .98 for DFS, RFS, and OS, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Statin use during and after adjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with improved DFS, RFS, or OS in patients with stage III colon cancer, regardless of KRAS mutation status.