Allergy can reduce the risk of developing glioblastoma, a cancer of the central nervous system, reports the journal of the American Society for Cancer Research, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago came to this conclusion after analyzing over 419 patients, XNUMX of whom had been diagnosed with glioblastoma. Participants completed questionnaires on possible allergies or asthma, as well as the use of medications, including antihistamines. The number of allergies (to pollen, animals, drugs, food, etc.) was also taken into account.
Allergy has been shown to be an important factor in reducing the risk of developing a brain tumor, the researchers say, and the more types of allergies a patient is found, the less likely they are to develop this type of cancer.
The risk was not affected by the age at which the allergy was diagnosed, or by the use of antihistamines, including diphenhydramine, which were suspected to be carcinogenic.
Our research confirms that there is a link between the immune system of allergy sufferers and the risk of developing glioblastoma. Extensive research on allergies and antihistamines is necessary to outline the biological mechanism that may influence the development of cancer, says epidemiologist Dr. Bridget McCarthy (PAP).