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Step 1
Are you following a low fat, low cholesterol diet? You may be trying to lower your cholesterol to protect your heart, but according to a new study, in the future you might want to do it for cancer prevention also. Could a lower cholesterol level decrease the risk of cancer? The good news is there’s early evidence that a lower cholesterol level may potentially decrease prostate cancer risk in men.
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Step 2
In this study, published in The American Journal of Pathology, mice with prostate cancer were fed a typical Western diet high in cholesterol and fat. The researchers found that mice fed a high fat diet and who developed high cholesterol levels had more rapid growth of their prostate tumors. Some of the mice were given the prescription drug Zetia which blocks cholesterol absorption by the intestines and lowers blood levels of cholesterol. Mice that were given the Zetia didn’t have an increased rate of tumor growth, suggesting that lowering blood levels of cholesterol may decrease risk of cancer and tumor growth. More studies will be needed to see whether this effect will apply to cancers other than prostate cancer.
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Step 3
How might lowering cholesterol levels decrease risk of cancer and slow down the growth of tumors in already established cancer? The researchers believe that lowering cholesterol levels stops cancer growth by inhibiting the process known as tumor angiogenesis. Tumor angiogenesis is the mechanism by which new blood vessels are formed to allow the cancerous tumor to grow and survive. Without angiogenesis, a tumor would be unable grow or spread to other parts of the body, making the tumor less aggressive.
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Step 4
Interestingly, a group of cholesterol lowering medications known as statins have been shown in some studies to decrease risk of cancer of the prostate, although the results have been mixed. It’s still too early to suggest that men who are at high risk for prostate cancer use cholesterol lowering medications to reduce their risk. Hopefully, more studies will clarify the exact role cholesterol plays in decreasing cancer risk.
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Step 5
Even though it may be too soon to use cholesterol lowering as a means to decrease your risk of cancer of the prostate or any other type of cancer, a lower cholesterol level is still important for overall heart health. It’s gratifying to know that lowering your cholesterol to keep your heart healthy, it may potentially decrease your risk of cancer.
Comments
starlet67 said
on 3/6/2009 It's important to eat right and take care of your health...because without it...you can't do much of anything else! Great tips for keeping your heart healthy!