Cholesterol drug could treat prostate cancer

WASHINGTON - A new study has revealed that a drug used to treat patients with high cholesterol levels could also be helpful in treating prostate cancer.

Rosuvastatin-a statin drug sold as Crestor-suppressed the growth of transplanted human prostate cancer cells in mice.

Dr. Xiao-Yan Wen and his colleagues at St. Michael’s Hospital screened 2,000 small molecules in zebrafish embryos with 2,000 small molecules. Seven compounds-four of them statins-slowed or prevented the growth of those blood vessels.

They then found that one of those statins, rosuvastatin, suppressed the growth of prostate cancer in mice without apparent side effects.

Following successful human trials, statin drugs could optimize the benefits of radiation, which would help doctors determine the most effective, less toxic and affordable treatments for their prostate cancer patients.

The research appears in the September issue of European Urology. (ANI)