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'Good cholesterol' may help in the fight against cancer

11 November 2009

Having high levels of HDL cholesterol in your bloodstream, sometimes referred to as 'good cholesterol', may reduce your risk of developing cancer, according to a recent Finnish study.

This study supports what we already know about a relationship between cholesterol levels and cancer development.

Dr Paula Franklin, director of healthcare leadership for Bupa

The scientists measured the amount of HDL cholesterol in the bloodstreams of just over 29,000 male smokers, and then followed them over 18 years to see how many of them developed cancer.

During the study, just over 7,500 of the men were diagnosed with cancer. It was found that the men with high levels of HDL were less likely to develop cancer than those with low levels. These findings stood even after taking into account some lifestyle factors such as diet, and other factors such as body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure.

The scientists looked at the types of cancer the men developed and found that those with low levels of HDL cholesterol were more likely to get lung or liver cancer, and to a lesser extent, cancers of the prostate, bowel or kidneys.

The researchers aren't exactly sure how having a high level of HDL cholesterol helps to reduce your likelihood of developing cancer, but they believe it may be related to several different processes in the body that affect how cancer cells develop.

Dr Paula Franklin, director of healthcare leadership for Bupa commented: "This study supports what we already know about a relationship between cholesterol levels and cancer development. It is reinforced by a recent study showing that having low levels of LDL cholesterol decreases the likelihood of developing the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer."

She goes on to say "However, this study only looked at male smokers, so the findings are difficult to generalise to the rest of the population, specifically women and non-smokers.

"High levels of HDL cholesterol are good for your health, you can increase your levels by maintaining a healthy weight, following a well-balanced diet and taking regular exercise."

Key facts
  • Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the body. Having too much cholesterol can affect your heart and blood vessels, increasing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). High cholesterol causes fatty deposits (known as plaques) to build up inside your blood vessels.
  • Some cholesterol is transported as high density lipoprotein (HDL), and is made mainly of protein and a little fat. HDL prevents cholesterol building up in your arteries, as it transports excess cholesterol from body tissues to your liver for disposal. If you have high levels of this type of cholesterol you have decreased risk of heart disease, this is why it's known as 'good cholesterol'.
  • Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol consists mainly of fat with little protein. Its main role is to transport cholesterol from the liver to the cells. This can cause cholesterol to be deposited in your blood vessels. For this reason high levels of LDL are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease and this is why it is known as 'bad' cholesterol.
  • Total cholesterol (TC) is the total amount of all forms of cholesterol found in your blood. Having a high TC is associated with an increased risk of a number of health problems. However, it's important to consider the amount of each cholesterol within your blood. You should aim for a high level of HDL and a low level of LDL within your total cholesterol.

Read the study

Prediagnostic Total and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Risk of Cancer Jiyoung Ahn, Unhee Lim, Stephanie J. Weinstein, et al.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev November 2009 18:2814-2821; Published OnlineFirst November 8, 2009, doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-1248

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