| We all know that healthy cholesterol levels offer | | | | being diagnosed yet. |
| protection to our hearts. Now two new studies | | | | "Very few studies measured [HDL], and any |
| published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, | | | | relationship between HDL and overall cancer risk |
| Biomarkers & Prevention suggest another benefit | | | | had therefore not been adequately evaluated," |
| - reduce cholesterol level and reduce your risk of | | | | said Dr. Demetrius Albanes of the NCI and the |
| developing certain cancers. | | | | lead author of the study. |
| The pair of studies conducted by a team of | | | | Of course more work is needed to confirm the |
| cancer researchers suggests low cholesterol | | | | results... especially in women and nonsmokers. |
| doesn't deserve its worrisome reputation, or its | | | | In the second study, the same team looked at |
| association with a higher cancer risk earned | | | | 5,500 men aged 55 and over. Those with total |
| thanks to a series of studies in the 1980s. | | | | cholesterol numbers under 200 mg/dL ("desirable" |
| This latest work found low total cholesterol was | | | | according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood |
| associated with almost 60% less risk of the most | | | | Institute) had about a 60% lower risk of high |
| aggressive type of prostate cancer. Higher levels | | | | grade prostate cancer, the most aggressive type. |
| of good cholesterol, also known as HDL, were | | | | The decrease in risk was only in the high-grade |
| shown to offer protection against lung, liver and | | | | tumors and not in less serious cases of this type |
| other cancers. | | | | of cancer. "It was a notable reduction, which is |
| In fact, the experts wonder if cholesterol levels | | | | not that often seen in prostate cancer research," |
| might drop before cancer is diagnosed. This | | | | explains lead researcher Elizabeth Platz, a cancer |
| suggests that the lower cholesterol levels might | | | | epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg |
| be the result, rather than the cause, of the | | | | School of Public Health. This pattern was reported |
| cancer. | | | | in an earlier study conducted by Platz and her |
| In the first study, conducted by the National | | | | colleagues. |
| Cancer Institute (NCI), men with HDL numbers | | | | The second study was inspired by a growing |
| over 55 mg/dL (HDL of 40-50 are average for | | | | body of evidence that suggests statin drugs (like |
| men) had an 11% decrease in cancer risk. This | | | | Lipitor) might protect against high-grade prostate |
| included lung and liver cancers. | | | | cancer. More studies, including randomized, |
| The subjects were 29,000 male smokers in | | | | controlled trials, are needed to confirm the link |
| Finland, studied over an 18-year period, making | | | | between cholesterol and prostate cancer. |
| the study the largest to find a relationship | | | | In an editorial that accompanies the two studies, |
| between HDL and cancer. | | | | Eric Jacobs, an epidemiologist with the American |
| At first the results backed up what had been | | | | Cancer Society says, "[It's] a very new, exciting |
| learned during the studies of the 1980s - men | | | | question, but we need to do a great deal more |
| with lower total cholesterol had a higher cancer | | | | research before we have any clear answers." The |
| risk. The trend disappeared when the researchers | | | | findings of both studies on cholesterol level and |
| excluded cases of cancer that had been | | | | cancer raise key questions, and are likely to be |
| diagnosed during the first nine years of the study. | | | | very interesting areas for future study. In other |
| These men might have had cancer, but without | | | | words... stay tuned. |