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Men with
Asthma and Eczema may have Lower Cancer Risk
Newswise, May 2010 — If you have asthma or
eczema, your hyper reactive immune system
may lower your risk of some of the most
common types of cancer, according to a study
published this month in Annals of
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the
scientific journal of the American College
of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
“Allergic conditions such as asthma and
eczema that result from a hyper reactive
immune system might enhance the body’s
ability to remove malignant cells, which
might in turn lower cancer risk,” said
Mariam El-Zein, PhD, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier,
Laval, Québec, Canada, lead author of the
article.
“In our study, men with asthma had lower
odds of getting stomach cancer and those
with eczema had lower odds of developing
lung cancer, when compared to men who did
not have these conditions.”
The population-based case-control study was
conducted in Montreal, Québec over a seven
year period among 3,300 male cancer patients
and a control group of 500. Odds ratios were
calculated for the association between
asthma or eczema and more than 20 cancer
types combined, as well as for each of eight
common cancer types (stomach, colon, rectum,
lung, prostate, bladder, skin and lymph
nodes).
“We cannot fully explain why allergic
conditions can decrease cancer risk but this
research is promising,” said allergist
Jonathan Bernstein, MD, Fellow of the
American College of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology. “We hope future studies continue
to explore this connection and the role the
immune system plays in reducing cancer
risk.”
About ACAAI
The ACAAI is a professional medical
organization headquartered in Arlington
Heights, Ill., that promotes excellence in
the practice of the subspecialty of allergy
and immunology.
The College, comprising more than 5,000
allergists-immunologists and related health
care professionals, fosters a culture of
collaboration and congeniality in which its
members work together and with others toward
the common goals of patient care, education,
advocacy and research.
To learn more about allergies and asthma and
to find an allergist, visit
www.AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org
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