Fatal Attraction: Cholesterol linked To Prostate cancer

There appears to be enough evidence amongst Italian scientists to show that high cholesterol levels can enhance the risk of prostate cancer, though more studies to prove the same is welcome.

The crux of the issue, traces the production of male hormones that cause prostate cancer, which is induced into production by high cholesterol levels. Scientists have offered advice to people to adopt health practices that can reduce their risk of getting afflicted with cancer

The researchers studied the data among 1,294 men with prostate cancer, and 1,451 men admitted to hospital with non-cancerous conditions. The findings revealed that those men with prostate cancer were nearly 50% more likely to have had high cholesterol levels.

Researcher Dr Cristina Bosetti said: "Androgens - hormones that have a role in prostate tissue and cancer - are synthesized from cholesterol, suggesting a possible biological relationship between high cholesterol and prostate cancer. Gallstones are related to high cholesterol levels as well and are often composed of cholesterol. So, the direct relationship we found between gallstones and prostate cancer, while it was not statistically significant, suggests a similar biological mechanism may explain the link."

Professor Nick James, a cancer specialist at the University of Birmingham, said “There is a lot of circumstantial evidence suggesting that diet is a factor in developing prostate cancer. For instance, the disease is more common in northern European countries, where consumption of animal’s fats is relatively high. This research carries a positive message: it suggests that people can do something themselves to reduce the chances of getting a disease which is among the biggest killers of men."