Fatty liver can turn into chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis! Doctors reveal a drug can reduce liver cancer by 53%
273,000 fatty liver patients study lipid drugs to reduce liver cancer risk
According to statistics on the top ten causes of cancer deaths in 2021, liver cancer ranks second in the number of cancer deaths in Taiwan, causing a total of 7,970 deaths. It has ranked among the top two leading causes of cancer death for 42 consecutive years. The main risk factor for liver cancer is long-term infection with viral hepatitis such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C. However, modern people are at risk of fatty liver and even progression to steatohepatitis and cirrhosis due to obesity, lack of exercise and high-sugar and high-oil diet. It cannot be ignored either.
Dr. Qian Zhenghong, director of the Liver Disease Prevention and Treatment Center of Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, posted on the social media that the latest international research report found that patients with fatty liver disease can reduce the risk of liver cancer by taking lipid-lowering (statin) drugs. Scholars from Stanford University in the United States analyzed the medication records of 273,000 patients with fatty liver disease and found that the risk of liver cancer for those taking statin drugs was 6.1 in 10,000, while the risk for those who did not take drugs was 10.1 in 10,000. Studies have pointed out that long-term medication can reduce the chance of liver cancer by 53%, and it has the benefit of reducing liver cancer regardless of liver fibrosis.
Clinically, common statin-type blood lipid-lowering drugs include Lovastatin, Lipitor, Lescol, Zocor, Mevalotin, Creastor, Compound Vytorin, however, there is no difference in the benefits of reducing the risk of liver cancer between different brands of drugs.
Dr. Qian Zhenghong said that the results of this study are quite positive news for people with liver disease. Although many people know that taking medicine can lower cholesterol, they are worried about the impact of long-term medication on the liver and kidneys. New research tracking results show that long-term medication can It brings anti-cancer benefits, and the medicine has a preventive effect. The longer the medicine is taken, the better the cumulative anti-cancer effect is.
Should people with abnormal liver function worry about liver toxicity when taking anti-lipidemic drugs?
However, you need to pay attention to side effects when taking statin drugs. Dr. Qian Zhenghong pointed out that the most common side effects include abnormal liver function index and muscle soreness. About 0.5-3% of people will experience an increase in AST and ALT after taking statin drugs. It occurs after three months of taking the drug, but serious liver damage is very rare, only about 2 in 1 million. In fact, many patients with steatohepatitis have their liver index go up or down during medication, which is not all caused by medication.
As for people who already have abnormal liver index, are they more likely to suffer from hepatotoxicity after taking anti-lipidemic drugs? Dr. Qian Zhenghong pointed out that rigorous clinical research in 2004 confirmed that after taking statin drugs for 6 months, only 4.7% of people with abnormal liver function experienced a mild to moderate increase in liver index; 0.6% experienced a serious increase in liver index, while no Those who took statin drugs also had a moderate increase in liver index of 6.4% after six months of follow-up, indicating that the use of statin drugs will not increase hepatotoxicity.
Taking anti-lipidemic drugs to reduce the risk of liver function decompensation and death in patients with liver cirrhosis
Dr. Qian Zhenghong said that a systematic study in 2017 found that the use of statin drugs in patients with cirrhosis can reduce the risk of liver function decompensation and death by 46%. For patients without cirrhosis, it is speculated that statin drugs can reduce blood lipids and reduce blood lipids. Benefits such as reduced inflammation, improved endothelial cell function, and reduced portal hypertension may be responsible for the reduction in liver fibrosis. However, there is currently no strong evidence to suggest that all groups with poor liver function should receive antihyperlipidemic drugs.
Dr. Qian Zhenghong reminded that fatty liver is a risk factor for liver cancer, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia. In the past, there were no direct specific drugs. The best way was to control it through diet. If you have difficulty controlling your diet, regular medication after evaluation by a doctor can help. As long as you regularly track your liver function index, you don’t need to worry too much about side effects.
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