The widely prescribed cholesterol lowering drugs known as statins appear to slash the risk of relapse among men undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer, researchers report.

        In a study of nearly 900 men who underwent radiation therapy, those who took statins before and during treatment were 10% more likely to be cancer free a decade after diagnosis, compared with those who didn’t take the medications.

        Overall, 76% of men who took statins were alive and without cancer 10 years after treatment vs 66% of those who didn’t says the researchers. Statins are one of the most widely prescribed drugs in the U.S. They include cholesterol medications such as Crestor, Lescol, Lipitor and Zocor.

        The researchers say men with large, fast growing tumors reaped the greatest benefit from the statin medications. While other studies have suggested that statins may help to prevent prostate cancer, It is believed that this is the first to show that the drugs, when used in conjunction with radiation, can cut the chance of relaspse.

        Do men have to be on radiation therapy to benefit? The researchers say that no one really knows as they only studied men on the treatment. But it could be that statin make cells more sensitive so that the radiation can kill them more effectively, they say.

        Until the findings are confirmed in other large,well designed studies researchers say that it’s too soon to recommend that men with prostate cancer start taking statins for their antitumor properties.

        But so many men are already taking them that it is reassuring to see a benefit when the two are combined, they say.