Statin Use Improves Outcomes in Chronic, Small Lymphocytic Leukemia

WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL), statin use is associated with improved survival, regardless of treatment employed, according to a study published online April 23 in Blood Advances.

Ahmad Y. Abuhelwa, Ph.D., from the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, and colleagues examined the association of statin use with survival and adverse event outcomes in patients with CLL/SLL initiating contemporary treatment regimens, including ibrutinib, using individual participant data from four randomized trials.

Overall, 29 percent of 1,467 patients were using statins. The researchers found a significant association for statin use with improved overall survival, progression-free survival, and cancer-specific survival (adjusted hazard ratios, 0.55, 0.73, and 0.39, respectively). The findings were consistent for those treated with ibrutinib and nonibrutinib and for CLL versus SLL diagnosis. There was no significant association observed between statin use and grade ≥3 adverse effects.

“These findings don”t allow us to say for certain that statins directly improve cancer outcomes,” Abuhelwa said in a statement. “However, the fact that this association remained strong even after accounting for multiple factors makes it an important area for future research.”

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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