The study involving over 250 transplant recipients in Switzerland found that those on statins were less likely to develop cancer and less likely to die than those who were not taking the drug.
The effect, the researchers said, did not depend on the patient's cholesterol levels, suggesting the drug may have other effects that have not been discovered until now, the Daily Telegraph reported.
The new finding, presented at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in Serbia, comes after researchers said everyone aged over 50 should be given statins as they reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke even in healthy people.
Cancer is the leading cause of death after heart transplantation in those who survive the initial operation and recovery. The drugs to suppress the immune system and prevent donor organs from being rejected are known to increase the risk of cancer.
The new study included 255 patients who underwent heart transplantation at the University Hospital Zurich between 1985 and 2007 and were alive after the first year.
Four in 10 were later diagnosed with cancer, but those on a statin were 65 per cent less likely to develop cancer, the researchers found.
Eight years after transplantation over a third of people who were not taking statins had developed cancer compared with 13 per cent of those taking the drugs. The benefit persisted long-term as 42 per cent of those not on statins had cancer 12 years after transplant compared to 22 per cent of those taking the cholesterol-busting medication.
Lead author Dr Frank Enseleit from University Hospital Zurich said patients can safely begin statin therapy six months after transplantation and they should take the drug for the rest of their lives.
"We have shown that statin therapy prevents cancer in heart transplant recipients and it is known that statins also prevent graft atherosclerosis," he said.
"We have to conclude that it should be a lifelong therapy in heart transplant recipients."
