Chao Center testing cholesterol drug for skin cancer prevention

Lovastatin is one of the most widely prescribed cholesterol management drugs in the world, but doctors at the UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center are testing whether this popular drug can prevent melanoma, a potentially lethal skin cancer. Dr. Kenneth Linden (pictured) is looking for adults with a history of melanoma to participate in a clinical trial to see if Lovastatin can reverse precancerous changes in abnormal moles. Recently, two large cardiovascular clinical trials found a significant reduction in the incidence of melanoma in patients taking blood lipid-lowering statin drugs. The study is part of a robust effort by Chao Center clinical researchers to discover and test novel compounds and drugs that can prevent cancers. For more information, contact Vanessa Wong at 714-456-6210 or vanessw@uci.edu