Association between Statins Types with Incidence of Liver Cancer: An Updated Meta-analysis

Background: Previous studies have found a potential role for statins in liver cancer prevention.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the effect of different types of statins on the incidence of liver cancer.

Methods: Relevant articles were systematically retrieved from PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases from inception until July 2022 to explore the relationship between lipophilic statins or hydrophilic statins exposure and the incidence of liver cancer. The main outcome was the incidence of liver cancer.

Results: Eleven articles were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed a reduced incidence of liver cancer in patients exposed to lipophilic statins (OR=0.54, p < 0.001) and hydrophilic statins (OR=0.56, p</i> < 0.001) compared with the non-exposed cohort. Subgroup analysis showed that both exposures to lipophilic (Eastern countries: OR=0.51, p</i> < 0.001; Western countries: OR=0.59, p</i> < 0.001) and hydrophilic (Eastern countries: OR=0.51, p</i> < 0.001; Western countries: OR=0.66, p</i>=0.019) statins reduced the incidence of liver cancer in Eastern and Western countries, and the reduction was most significant in Eastern countries. Moreover, atorvastatin (OR=0.55, p</i> < 0.001), simvastatin (OR=0.59, p</i> < 0.001), lovastatin (OR=0.51, p</i> < 0.001), pitavastatin (OR=0.36, p</i>=0.008) and rosuvastatin (OR=0.60, p</i>=0.027) could effectively reduce the incidence of liver cancer, unlike fluvastatin, cerivastatin and pravastatin.

Conclusion: Both lipophilic and hydrophilic statins contribute to the prevention of liver cancer. Moreover, the efficacy was influenced by the region and the specific type of statins used.