Statins reduce recurrence risk 23% and mortality in 267,913 HR+ breast cancer patients with HR 0.77

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Frontiers in Medicine Published June 3, 2026 Medically reviewed June 3, 2026 DOI ↗ By Dr. Julia Lee, PhD · Oncology, Genomics & Drug Development

Key Takeaway

Note that statin use is associated with lower recurrence and mortality in HR+ breast cancer.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between statin use and clinical outcomes in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. The analysis included a total sample size of 267,913 individuals. The primary outcomes assessed were recurrence and mortality. The comparator group consisted of non-users of statins.

The pooled results indicated a 23% reduction in recurrence risk with a hazard ratio of 0.77. The 95% confidence interval for this effect was 0.61–0.98 and the P value was 0.03. For mortality, the analysis demonstrated a significant decrease with a hazard ratio of 0.77. The 95% confidence interval for mortality was 0.73–0.81 and the P value was less than 0.001.

Safety data regarding adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, and tolerability were not reported in the source. The authors did not report on causality or certainty notes. The practice relevance suggests that statin therapy confers a protective effect against recurrence and mortality in this patient population.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedJun 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

BackgroundStatins are increasingly recognized for their potential to reduce endocrine therapy resistance and improve overall survival in breast cancer. However, their specific prognostic impact on hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer remains incompletely understood. This study aims to evaluate the effect of statin use on recurrence and mortality in HR+ breast cancer patients through a comprehensive meta-analysis.MethodsWe systematically searched PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science for studies comparing the outcomes of statin users versus non-users among HR+ breast cancer patients. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using appropriate statistical models.ResultsThe meta-analysis incorporated 7 studies encompassing 267,913 HR+ breast cancer patients. Pooled analyses demonstrated that statin use was significantly associated with a 23% reduction in recurrence risk (HR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.61–0.98, P = 0.03) and a significant decrease in mortality (HR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.73–0.81, P < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings.ConclusionOur large-scale meta-analysis suggests that statin therapy confers a protective effect against recurrence and mortality in HR+ breast cancer. These findings highlight the promising role of statins as an effective adjunctive therapy and underscore the necessity for future large-scale, prospective trials to optimize their clinical applications.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024599286, identifier CRD42024599286.