‘Good’ cholesterol linked to lower risk of bowel cancer

Scientists believe increased levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) may have an impact on the way inflammation is handled in the body.

High levels of HDL have been shown to be good for health because they “collect” excess cholesterol in the blood and transport it to the liver where it is broken down.

Quitting smoking, losing excess weight and taking frequent exercise have all been shown to boost levels of good cholesterol and reduce levels of bad cholesterol. And some foods have also been found to have a healthy effect on blood cholesterol levels including whole grains such as oatmeal, oat bran and whole-wheat products; nuts; plant sterols and Omega 3 fatty acids, such as those found in fatty fish and flaxseeds.

In the latest study, published in the journal Gut, experts used data from more than 520,000 people taking part in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), involving 10 countries.

Overall, more than 1,200 people developed bowel cancer during the course of the study and they were compared with more than 1,200 people without bowel cancer to check for differences between the groups.

After adjusting for a wide range of factors, experts discovered that people with the highest levels of HDL cholesterol, and another blood fat called apolipoprotein A (a component of HDL cholesterol), had the lowest risk of developing bowel cancer. Each rise of 16.6 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dl) in HDL and of 32 mg/dl in apoA reduced the risk of bowel cancer by 22 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively.