Bad LDL Cholesterol and Cancer Risk
What is the relationship between low LDL cholesterol levels and the risk of morbidity from cancer? It turns out that low levels of LDL cholesterol in patients without a history of using cholesterol-lowering drugs may predict their risk of developing cancer years in advance. These findings in the American College of Cardiology suggest that the researchers believe that a certain mechanism influences cancer formation and low LDL cholesterol levels, however, further research is needed.
The researchers in the current study sought to examine the association between cancer and the presence of low LDL cholesterol in people without a long history of using cholesterol-lowering drugs over a long period. This is in light of the findings of earlier studies according to which cholesterol-lowering drugs were not found to be associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. In light of the findings of previous studies that indicate the positive importance of reducing LDL cholesterol for heart disease prevention, the existence of other studies have suggested that low levels of bad cholesterol were associated with cancer risk.
In a controlled and tailored study, the researchers examined data from the Framingham Survey for heart disease of about 200 subjects who had never used cholesterol-lowering drugs, who developed cancer and were compared to about 400 cancer-free subjects who were matched for them in terms of variables such as age, sex, diet and diabetes, blood pressure, weight, and tobacco use. The results showed that LDL cholesterol values were lower in the blood of subjects who developed cancer.
These values were more prominent in those who did not get sick, at a significantly noticeable rate, already being noticed in the examination 18.7 years before a diagnosis of the disease. These findings remained similar even after keeping HDL cholesterol levels in check.
The researchers go on to explain that these findings do not indicate that low levels of LDL cholesterol may cause the development of cancer and that patients with high levels of LDL cholesterol should continue treatment to prevent heart disease, but at the same time, the significance of the study shows that there is a mechanism that affects both the formation of cancer and the formation of LDL at low levels in a way that links the two in a predictable pattern and as a result demands further investigation and research.
