The potential use of simvastatin for cancer treatment: A review

Abstract

Statins, typically used to reduce lipid levels, have been rediscovered for exhibiting anticancer activities. Among them, especially simvastatin may influence the proliferation, migration, and survival of cancer cells. The concept of using statins to treat cancer has been adopted since the 1990s In vitro and in vivo experiments and cohort studies using statins have been carried out to demonstrate their antitumor effects (such as proliferation and migration impairment) by influencing inflammatory and oxidative stress-related tumorigenesis. Nevertheless, the biological mechanisms for these actions are not fully elucidated. In this review, we present an overview of the most important studies conducted from 2015 to date on the use of simvastatin in cancer therapy. This review brings the most recent perspectives and targets in epidemiological, in vitro, and in vivo studies, regarding the use of simvastatin alone or in combination with other drugs for the treatment of various types of cancer.

Keywords: Cancer treatment; Co-administration; Simvastatin; Statins.