Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of statins is associated with bladder cancer risk.
Methods: The authors conducted a population-based case-control study in Taiwan. Cases consisted of all patients who were aged 50 years and older and had a first-time diagnosis of bladder cancer, for the period between 2004 and 2010. The controls were matched to cases by age, sex and index date. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by using multiple logistic regression.
Results: The authors examined 325 bladder cancer cases and 1300 controls. The unadjusted ORs for any statin prescription was 0.94 (95% CI 0.70 - 1.28) and the adjusted OR was 0.88 (95% CI 0.61 - 1.25). Compared with no use of statins, the adjusted ORs were 0.72 (95% CI 0.40 - 1.28) for the group having been prescribed statins with cumulative defined daily dose (DDDs) below 56 DDDs, 0.81 (95% CI 0.46 - 1.43) for the group with cumulative dose between 56 DDDs and 196 DDDs, and 1.11 (95% CI 0.67 - 1.85) for the group with cumulative statin use of 196 DDDs or more.
Conclusions: The present data do not provide evidence to support either beneficial or harmful associations between statin use and bladder cancer risk.