If this isn't the stupidest thing I've read since that "high-protein diets kill mice fed lots of casein, ergo humans shouldn't eat paleo diet (which a priori eliminates casein)" story last week.
Apparently, people taking statins have much lower rates of cancer mortality. Cue more research and RCTs aimed at proving a new use for this class of drugs and sell even more prescriptions.
However, there are reasons why this claim (or carefully couched suggestion) amounts to quackery of the "false hope" sort. False hope for gullible GPs especially.
Statins 'could halve the risk of dying from cancer'
Apparently, people taking statins have much lower rates of cancer mortality. Cue more research and RCTs aimed at proving a new use for this class of drugs and sell even more prescriptions.
However, there are reasons why this claim (or carefully couched suggestion) amounts to quackery of the "false hope" sort. False hope for gullible GPs especially.
The studies did not show statins would prevent cancer. But they suggest taking them daily could save thousands of lives, by slowing the spread of diseases.
Doctors said it was not clear why they had such an effect, but the drugs reduce cholesterol, which is known to help the spread of disease.
Please do not bang your head quite so hard on your desk, no doctor recommends that (yet).
There are some basic things these "experts", and I use the inverted commas wisely, don't seem to know, or at least don't admit to knowing in a press release.
I summed up two of them in a letter to the Herald yesterday (unpublished so far).
Dear Sir/Ma'am,
According to a study reported in yesterday's Herald, people who take statin drugs are less likely to die from cancer. However, this effect has not been seen in 27 randomised, controlled trials. Statins are prescribed to people with high cholesterol. People with low cholesterol have an increased risk of cancer, and a greatly decreased likelihood of being prescribed statins. This might help to explain what is being presented as a possible protective effect of statins against cancer.
Please do not bang your head quite so hard on your desk, no doctor recommends that (yet).
There are some basic things these "experts", and I use the inverted commas wisely, don't seem to know, or at least don't admit to knowing in a press release.
I summed up two of them in a letter to the Herald yesterday (unpublished so far).
Dear Sir/Ma'am,
According to a study reported in yesterday's Herald, people who take statin drugs are less likely to die from cancer. However, this effect has not been seen in 27 randomised, controlled trials. Statins are prescribed to people with high cholesterol. People with low cholesterol have an increased risk of cancer, and a greatly decreased likelihood of being prescribed statins. This might help to explain what is being presented as a possible protective effect of statins against cancer.
Yours sincerely,
George Henderson
References: (who includes references in letters to the Editor? I do. Maybe that's why they don't get published)