Cellular Effect of Cholesterol-Lowering Prior to Prostate Removal

There is evidence in human studies as well as animal studies that treatments to lower cholesterol can reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer.To decide if cholesterol-lowering therapy can slow the growth of prostate cancer, the investigators would like to lower cholesterol prior to surgery and then measure the growth of prostate cancers cells when the prostate has been removed. The investigators will use the combination of two drugs that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to lower cholesterol. The drug combination is commercially available with a doctor's prescription and sold as Vytorin®. It is known that maximal cholesterol-lower effects are seen after 2 weeks of treatment with Vytorin®. Therefore, study patients receive at least 2 weeks, but no more than 6 weeks of Vytorin® prior to surgery.