Abstract
Statins, or 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors,
are widely used to treat hypercholesterolemia for primary and secondary prevention
of cardiovascular disease. Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting step
in cholesterol synthesis, and modulate the downstream signaling of the mevalonate
pathway. In addition to the primary effect, the antitumor effect of statins can be
associated with mevalonate pathway-mediated and nonmevalonate pathway-mediated mechanisms,
which improve endothelial function and lead to proapoptotic, antiproliferative, antiinflammatory,
and antifibrotic properties. Statins are implicated in the improvement of metabolic
status. Statins are orally available and safely and widely used for long-term treatment;
they represent a novel approach for the prevention and treatment for hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC). Although several observational studies and experimental studies have
revealed the preventive and therapeutic potential of statins for HCC treatment, further
prospective interventional studies and randomized control trials are warranted to
confirm these observations.
Keywords
statin - hepatocellular carcinoma - risk - prevention - pathogenesis
