Profound racial inequities in statin use and cholesterol control mirror racial disparities in prostate cancer, where Black men are less likely to use a statin and have worse cholesterol control, are 78% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and twice as likely to die from the disease compared to White men. Despite these parallels, the role of cholesterol control in prostate cancer racial disparities is poorly understood. Here, we investigate whether inequities in cholesterol control between Black and White men not using statins compared to cholesterol control in statin users contribute to prostate cancer racial disparities through interactions with tumor metabolism and the tumor microenvironment (TME), a novel concept supported by strong rationale.

This study is for subjects that have been diagnosed with prostate cancer that can be removed by surgery. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a group of drugs called statins can help to reduce the risk of prostate cancer returning after surgery. The drug used in this study is a particular type of statin called simvastatin. Simvastatin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help lower cholesterol (fatty deposits in your blood) and decrease the risk of heart disease. Its use in this research study is considered investigational, and not FDA approved for the subject's cancer. Subjects can expect to be in the active participation portion of this study for about 3 months. Afterwards, the study team may contact them or their medical providers every 6 months to follow their cancer care and collect information on their current health status.