Another Role for HDL-Cholesterol: Preventing Colon Cancer

Only a week ago I posted about a link between physical activity and the risk of colorectal cancer.  Now here’s another way to possibly avoid this serious problem – raise your high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).  A European study reported in the journal Gut provides the data.

More than 500,000 people from10 countries enrolled in the European prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study.  At intervals after enrolment over 1,200 cases of colorectal cancer were identified; there were 779 cases of colon and 459 cases of rectal cancer.   They were matched with another 1,200 cancer-free participants of the same age, gender, follow-up time, and nationality.  Blood had been taken on entry to the study, and food frequency questionnaires were administered.  The blood was analyzed for HDL-C and apolipoprotein A-1 (a component of HDL-C).    

Analyses showed that those who had the highest levels of HDL-C and apolipoprotein A-1 had the lowest risk of developing colon cancer.  For every 16.6 mg/dL increase in HDL-C and 32 md/dL increase of apoplipoprotein A-1 the risk of colon cancer decreased by 22% and 18%, respectively.  There was no such relationship with the risk of rectal cancer.   

The association between low HDL-C levels and colon cancer persisted after adjustments for smoking habits, physical activity, education, alcohol use, and consumption of fruit and vegetables, etc.

As with physical activity in the earlier study, there’s no explanation for these associations, as yet.  Further studies will be needed.  But there are plenty of reasons to try to raise you blood level of HDL-C.  This website will explain how to do it.