Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs and Cancer

[Guest guest]

>Choles terol-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.

>

>

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>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]

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>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]

>

>

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>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)

>

>

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>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.

>

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>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.

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