Statins and prostate cancer prevention: where we are now, and future directions.

Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs that are widely used to prevent and treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Recent research from both in vitro and in vivo studies suggests that there is an association between the use of statins and a reduction in the incidence of and mortality from prostate cancer. Several mechanisms of action that might bring about these beneficial effects of statins have been proposed, most of which include direct effects of statins on intracellular signaling. In this Review we discuss the current knowledge on the use of statins to prevent prostate cancer. We will also look at future directions for clinical research on this topic.