Statins may help prolong survival in NSCLC resection

Patients who have undergone resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may improve their overall survival and reduce the risk of recurrence by taking statins.

Researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute followed 803 patients who underwent resection for NSCLC, of which 315 were using statins.

Results showed that statin use was associated with a significantly lower local recurrence rate and significantly higher overall survival compared with non-statin users.

Researchers conclude that prospective studies are needed to assess the role of statin therapy as an adjunct to current multimodality regimens.

This study was presented during CHEST 2012, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, held October 20 – 25, in Atlanta, Georgia.