Statins are lipid lowering drugs - very effective for reducing the high cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of individuals are on statins. Not only are statins useful in lowering the fats in the blood and reducing the chances of a heart attack or a stroke, they are also being actively investigated as a tool in other areas of medicine - including cancer.

This news is however not a positive one. In one of the many lab studies that are investigating how statins may act on cancer cells, it has been found that these drugs may alter the CD20 molecule that acts as a target for the drug Rituximab. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody drug that has improved outcomes in a range of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. By altering the CD20 molecule, it may reduce the binding of the drug to the cancer cell and result in a diminished effect.

Though this is only a lab study in rats, the effects on humans may be similar. Many individuals may be taking statins while on cancer treatment. The consequences on using both these drugs together will now have to be investigated in humans. The scientific world is watching.