Healthy Cholesterol Levels Could Lower Prostate Cancer Risk

(Dr. Catalona Responds to Reports in the News.)

A recent study (Platz, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) found that men who took drugs to reduce their cholesterol levels also had a lower risk for prostate cancer.

This study also found that men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer hade less risk of an aggressive form of the disease if they were on statins, the cholesterol lowering drugs.

Cholesterol is one of the key elements in creating testosterone, a hormone that could be associated with prostate cancer risk.

The current belief is that some form of male hormones might promote cancer growth. Because a main building block for male hormones is cholesterol, lowering cholesterol levels could be lowering normal or excessively high testosterone levels.

It’s too soon to say men should take statin drugs for the purpose of reducing prostate cancer risk, but if a patient is already taking these drugs to lower his risks for cardiovascular disease, this possible effect could be an added benefit.

What is heart-healthy may also be prostate healthy.