Title:Lipophilic Statins as Anticancer Agents: Molecular Targeted Actions and Proposal in Advanced Gynaecological Malignancies
Volume: 16
Issue: 10
Author(s): Salvatore Gizzo, Michela Quaranta, Giovanni Battista Nardelli and Marco Noventa
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Adjuvant treatments, advanced stages of cancer, anticancer agents, gynaecological malignancies, pleiotropic action
of drugs, statin use.
Abstract: Despite adequate surgery, women affected by advanced-stage gynaecological cancers (ovarian/
endometrial malignancies) carry an extremely poor prognosis; an improved oncological prognosis
could largely depend upon the enhancement of adjuvant treatment. Recent data showed that, among
women affected by endometrial/ovarian malignancies, a reduced cancer-related mortality was noted in
statin-users compared to non-users, suggesting the need for clinical trials to define the anticancerproperties
of statins. In vitro/in vivo evidences suggest a potential chemo-preventive effect through induction
of cancer-cell apoptosis and inhibition of cancer-cell growth, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis.
The potential oncological impact of this discovery compels us to investigate all possible molecular targets for
anticancer activities of statins in order to identify a rationale in proposing their administration in association with standard
chemotherapy/radiotherapy protocols after adequate surgical-treatment for advanced-stages gynaecological malignancies.
