High cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced risk of cancer

This study was published in PLoS One 2013;8(1):e54242

 

Study title and authors:

Total serum cholesterol and cancer incidence in the metabolic syndrome and cancer project (me-can).

Strohmaier S, Edlinger M, Manjer J, Stocks T, Bjørge T, Borena W, Häggström C, Engeland A, Nagel G, Almquist M, Selmer R, Tretli S, Concin H, Hallmans G, Jonsson H, Stattin P, Ulmer H.

Department of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Health Economics, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23372693

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between cholesterol levels and cancer incidence. The study included 289,273 male and 288,057 female participants who were followed for 11.7 years.

The study found:
(a) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 6% reduced risk of cancer compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(b) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 86% reduced risk of cancer of the liver/intrahepatic bile duct compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(c) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 48% reduced risk of pancreas cancer compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(d) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 33% reduced risk of non-melanoma skin cancer compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(e) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 32% reduced risk of cancers of the lymph-/hematopoietic tissue compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(f) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 14% reduced risk of cancer compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(g) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 77% reduced risk of gallbladder cancer compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(h) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 30% reduced risk of breast cancer compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(i) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 39% reduced risk of melanoma of skin cancer compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(j) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 39% reduced risk of cancers of the lymph-/hematopoietic tissue compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.

The data from the study shows that high cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced risk of cancer.

 

Review of Low Cholesterol Leads To An Early Death

 

Links to other studies:

Increased risk of breast cancer related to statin use

Statin users have a 25% increased risk of developing Merkel cell carcinoma

Trend of increased kidney cancer risk with statins





Analysis of 519,643 people reveals low cholesterol increases the risk of dying from pancreatic cancer by 27%

This study was published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2006 Dec;15(12):2435-40

 

Study title and authors:

The effect of modifiable risk factors on pancreatic cancer mortality in populations of the Asia-Pacific region.

Ansary-Moghaddam A, Huxley R, Barzi F, Lawes C, Ohkubo T, Fang X, Jee SH, Woodward M; Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration.

The George Institute, University of Sydney, Australia.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17164367

This analysis of 30 studies assessed the connection between cholesterol levels and death rates from pancreatic cancer. The study included 519,643 men and women with 3,558,733 person-years of follow-up.

This analysis of  519,643 people revealed that those with the lowest cholesterol, below 4.8 mmol/L (185 mg/dL) had a 27% increased risk of dying from pancreatic cancer compared to those with the highest cholesterol, over 5.8 mmol/L (224 mg/dL).

Links to other studies:
Red meat and eggs decrease the risk of pancreatic cancer
High margarine consumption is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer
High consumption of soft drinks lead to a 93% increased risk of pancreatic cancer