Prostate cancer
is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. It may cause difficulty in urinating, problems during sexual intercourse, or erectile dysfunction.
The findings suggest men with total cholesterol levels below 200 can gain significant protection from aggressive prostate cancer.
5,500 men studied
Researchers from the Hopkins University examined data on more than 5,500 men aged 55 and older, enrolled in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial done in 1990s.
Factors including smoking history, obesity, family history, and intake of cholesterol laden foods were not taken into account; neither it was determined whether the men studied were taking cholesterol lowering medications such as Lipitor, Zocor or Crestor.
It was found that men whose cholesterol levels fell in the healthy range--lower than 200--had a 59 percent lower risk of developing the aggressive prostate cancer compared to men with high cholesterol levels.
Elizabeth Platz, Sc.D., M.P.H., associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said, "Now, we have more evidence that among the benefits of low cholesterol may be a lower risk for potentially deadly prostate cancers."
Larger study corroborates the findings
Additionally, an analysis of an 18-years study which involved more than 29,000 Finnish male smokers also found similar results. Nearly, 7,545 men developed cancer during this period.
After analyzing the complete data, the researchers found that those with highest levels of high-density lipoprotein or HDL or the good cholesterol were 11 percent less likely to develop aggressive forms of prostate cancer than those with lowest levels.
"These results should help dispel any lingering thoughts that low cholesterol may help cause cancer," said Eric Jacobs, strategic director of pharmacoepidemiology at the American Cancer Society.
Researchers maintain that more controlled studies are required to fully establish an association between low cholesterol levels and a reduced incidence of aggressive prostate cancer.
Results of both the studies appear in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
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