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Genetic test shows who will benefit from statins

Category: DNA, Paternity and Genetic testing

For many, statin drugs are the most effective way to lower cholesterol and help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, but the drugs are not always effective for everyone.

A new study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research may point to a way for doctors to determine which patients will be receptive to the drugs through genetic testing.

Researchers found that those patients who have a certain gene will see benefits from the drugs, while those who lack the gene will not.

"Our research is the first step towards personalized prevention," said study author Stephen Gruber of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Now we have identified a genetic test that can show who's likely to benefit most from this drug."

The test could come as good news for people suffering from these diseases, as the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that almost 27,000 people died from colon cancer in 2006, the most recent statistics available. Heart disease is the number one killer in America.