Thus, the statin-mediated inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase decreases the levels of mevalonate and its downstream products, which have important roles in multiple cell functions, including membrane integrity, cell signaling, protein synthesis, and cell cycle progression; this inhibition of HMG-CoA results in significant inhibition of cancer cell growth (Brown & Goldstein, 1974; Buhaescu & Izzedine, 2007). The gene discussed is HMGCR; the disease is cancer.