HDL (“Good”) Cholesterol Linked To Lower Risk Of Bowel Cancers

An analysis of dietary data on 500,000 people being studied in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) has found an association between higher levels of HDL (“good”)  cholesterol in the blood and a lower risk of bowel cancers. Also associated with a lower risk was another blood fat known as apolipoprotein A (apoA). According to the researchers, each rise of 16.6 mg/dl in HDL and of 32 mg/dl in apoA reduced the risk of bowel cancer by 22 percent and 18 percent, respectively, after adjusting for diet, lifestyle, and weight. No similar association, however, was found in the case of rectal cancers.