Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins support breast cancer therapy

Women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer have a better prognosis after menopause if they are treated with a hormone blocker plus cholesterol lowering agent how statins are treated.

The classic treatment for estrogen receptor-positive women with breast cancer includes therapy with a hormone blocker such as tamoxifen or letrozole. This has shown great success for many years, especially before menopause. After menopause, the good prognosis decreases. Now a study has shown positive results when older patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer are treated with hormone blockers plus a cholesterol-lowering drug such as Statins be treated.

There is a connection between cholesterol and estrogens

Doctors at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School in Boston followed more than 8.000 women with breast cancer in a long-term study. All of these women were in the early stages of breast cancer. In order to find out the connection between cholesterol and tumor growth, they gave some of the women a cholesterol-lowering drug in addition to anti-hormone therapy. The others received a placebo. The evaluation showed that the women who had permanently low cholesterol levels had a significantly better disease-free survival rate at the end of the study than the women with elevated cholesterol levels. The doctors were able to explain this with a direct connection between cholesterol and hormones. The change in fat metabolism during menopause due to the natural estrogen deficiency causes cholesterol levels to rise in many women. This is a problem for cancer patients, as cholesterol acts as a kind of "nutrient" for tumor cells. The result is an impairment of the success of anti-hormone therapy.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells

If cholesterol production is slowed down by cholesterol-lowering drugs, the proliferation of cancer cells can be reduced by up to 50 percent. In most cases, the permanently low cholesterol level has a positive effect in the fight against breast cancer. The best results were achieved with statins, according to the oncologists from Boston. They therefore recommend a combination therapy of hormone blockers such as tamoxifen or letrozole with a statin such as simvastatin or atorvastatin.

Preventive measures to keep cholesterol levels low

To reduce symptoms during and after menopause and to prevent breast cancer, it is advisable to lead a healthy lifestyle from a young age. If a breast cancer diagnosis has been made, this is even strongly recommended. Nutrition, which contains a lot of unsaturated fats, for example with plant-based foods and fish, helps to keep cholesterol down. Sufficient exercise also promotes the reduction of cholesterol levels, as studies have shown. A recommendation that generally applies to breast cancer patients, as exercise has a positive effect on therapy. Lymphatic flow is improved, muscles are strengthened and physical condition is improved. In addition, moderate and regular exercise has a regulating effect on the cardiovascular system and promotes general well-being. More information on therapy for high cholesterol in our Cholesterol check for private patients.