Repurposing Statin Drugs to Decrease Toxicity and Improve Survival Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer

OBJECTIVE: The rising incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) calls for the assessment and improvement of currently available therapies that may enhance the therapeutic ratio in these patients. Statin drugs are one of the most widely used drug classes in the world for their lipid-lowering properties. As such, statins have been widely studied and found to possess pleiotropic effects that may make them effective in cancer treatment and toxicity mitigation. The aim of this review is to examine the potential use of statin drugs as adjunctive therapy in patients with HNSCC. DATA SOURCES: PubMed. REVIEW METHODS: Any preclinical or clinical articles pertaining to the effects of statin drugs on treatment-related toxicity or survival outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer were included in this narrative review. CONCLUSIONS: Emerging data suggest that statins may improve survival and reduce toxicities associated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer, by mechanisms that are poorly understood at present. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Given their affordability and safety, statins deserve further study as a tool to improve oncologic outcomes and enhance survivorship in patients with HNSCC.