Statin Therapy in Patients With Cirrhosis
Statin Therapy in Patients With Cirrhosis
The mechanism of the observed chemoprotective effect of statins in reducing the incidence of HCC may be related to disruption of MYC signalling. Overexpression of MYC has been implicated in the pathogenesis of HCC in humans. Statins interfere with the generation of isoprenoid intermediates, which decrease MYC phosphorylation and lead to impaired signalling through this pathway. Atorvastatin has been shown to suppress tumour growth in a transgenic mouse model of HCC through inhibition of MYC-mediated cellular proliferation. Given the plausible physiological mechanism and suggestive clinical evidence, the use of statins as chemoprevention of HCC may be clinically useful among very high-risk patients.
Statins and HCC: Potential Mechanisms of Statin-mediated Reduction in HCC
The mechanism of the observed chemoprotective effect of statins in reducing the incidence of HCC may be related to disruption of MYC signalling. Overexpression of MYC has been implicated in the pathogenesis of HCC in humans. Statins interfere with the generation of isoprenoid intermediates, which decrease MYC phosphorylation and lead to impaired signalling through this pathway. Atorvastatin has been shown to suppress tumour growth in a transgenic mouse model of HCC through inhibition of MYC-mediated cellular proliferation. Given the plausible physiological mechanism and suggestive clinical evidence, the use of statins as chemoprevention of HCC may be clinically useful among very high-risk patients.
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