Statin therapy before and during anthracycline-based chemotherapy resulted in fewer cases of elevated pulse wave velocity and reduced aortic distensibility compared with placebo. The results suggest a potential protective effect of atorvastatin against vascular dysfunction in cancer survivors.

Question Does 12 months of treatment with atorvastatin mitigate anthracycline-associated increased aortic stiffness, an important factor associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes?

Findings In this secondary analysis of 300 participants with lymphoma enrolled in the STOP-CA (Statins to Prevent the Cardiotoxicity From Anthracyclines) randomized clinical trial, atorvastatin was associated with significantly lower odds of an increase (≥0.8 m per second) in magnetic resonance imaging–derived aortic arch pulse wave velocity, compared with placebo. The proportion of participants meeting this primary exploratory end point was significantly lower with atorvastatin (5%), compared with placebo (50%).

Meaning These findings suggest that pretreatment with atorvastatin is associated with preserved vascular function in patients undergoing anthracycline treatment.