Based on the observation that the growth of HCC growth critically depends on cholesterol,[5] we discuss the evidence

potentially favoring the use of statins in clinical trials aimed at primary and secondary chemoprevention Seliciclib concentration of HCC in those individuals at high risk of developing this condition and slowing the course of otherwise incurable primary or recurrent disease. A Medline search of the literature conducted on 12 June 2012, (key words: Statins; hepatocellular carcinoma) provided 119 references. Such references, which were all evaluated for potential inclusion, cross-references, and all those references deemed to be relevant by the authors represent the basis of the present review. Pure cholesterol, the molecular formula of which was established in 1888, was first extracted from gallstones and named cholesterine, namely “solid bile” in ancient Greek.[6] Medical science has progressed from an era when hypercholesterolemia was deemed to be a mere consequence of ageing—and thus atherosclerosis an unpreventable condition—to the present paradigm that atherosclerosis can be prevented through targeting hypercholesterolemia to reduce

mortality.[6, 7] This major shift in clinicians’ attitude largely results from statins having been made available. Cholesterol synthesis BMS-354825 ic50 takes place in four stages:[6] check details a  condensation of three acetate units to form a 6-carbon

intermediate, mevalonate; The discovery of statins is due to a substantial extent to the pioneer work by the Japanese researcher Akira Endo influenced by his native rural environment, by the biography of the discoverer of penicillin Alexander Fleming, and by the high rate of heart attacks observed while working in the USA.[6] In 1985, Brown and Goldstein were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for their discoveries on the regulation of cholesterol metabolism[9] and lovastatin received FDA approval to be commercialized in 1987.[6] Statins (the chemical structure of which is depicted in Fig. 2) have now been tested in many large-scale clinical trials, involving 90 000 subjects who were followed for 5 years.[6] These studies have consistently shown that treatment with statins lowers plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels by 25–35% and reduces the frequency of heart attacks to the same extent. Statins are deemed to be the largest selling class of drugs currently taken by patients throughout the world.[6] During disease development, cancer cells acquire multiple key biological capabilities conferring them a competitive survival advantage and culminating in invasion and metastasis.[10] Whether the pathogenesis of HCC is strongly etiology-dependent remains unproven.