Using AHA/ACC guidelines to determine eligibility for statin therapy accurately identified patients at a higher risk of developing cancer and dying from it in a community-based primary prevention cohort study involving nearly 2,200 individuals.

Participants had never taken statins and did not have cancer at baseline. Investigators looked at the incidence of cancer—along with cancer and noncardiovascular mortality rates—at a median of 10 years’ follow-up. Among the results:

• Cancer incidence was ~11%.
• There were 58 noncardiovascular deaths, including 39 cancer deaths (1.8%).
• Overall, 37% were determined to be eligible to take statins.
• Cancer occurred in 15% of statin-eligible participants, vs 9% in those who were not eligible.
• Cancer mortality occurred in 4% of patients eligible to take statins, vs 0.4% in those who were not statin-eligible.
• Noncardiovascular mortality occurred in 6% of patients eligible to take statins, vs 0.7% of those who were not statin-eligible.