Drugs created to fight high cholesterol could also help against prostate cancer.
A study out of the University of Missouri found a certain cholesterol-lowering molecule (RO 48-8071) helped reduce prostate cancer cell growth — essentially causing the cancerous cells to die off.
One of the lead researchers said, "Often, cancer patients are treated with toxic chemotherapies. ... We focused on reducing the production of cholesterol in cancer cells, which could kill cancer cells and reduce the need for toxic chemotherapy."
The researchers say the study, which has been accepted for publication in the journal OncoTargets and Therapy, could provide a new therapeutic approach to fighting prostate cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, there are more than 180,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S. each year. Prostate cancer causes roughly 26,000 deaths per year.
This video includes clips from Manipal Hospitals and Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics, and images from Getty Images.
