The relationship between statin use and breast cancer risk: NHANES 2003-2016 and Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Breast cancer is a prevalent malignancy, and statins are commonly used in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. However, the association between the use of statins and the risk of breast cancer is unclear. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between statins and breast cancer risk by combining data analysis from the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) and a Mendelian randomization (MR) study.

Research design and methods: We collected and compiled data from the NHANES between 2003 and 2016. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between statin use and the risk of breast cancer. To further validate our findings, we selected two sets of instrumental variables and conducted a MR study. Additionally, we evaluated the robustness and reliability of the MR results through sensitivity analyses.

Results: Based on the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, statins may be a potential protective factor against breast cancer. For the MR analyses, inverse-variance weighted (IVW) analysis also revealed an association between exposure to statin-targeted inhibition and the risk of breast cancer.

Conclusion: The administration of statins contributes to reduce the risk of breast cancer, which may open up new perspectives on breast cancer prevention.