For well over a decade we have known that low cholesterol can be associated with cancer. But the question was whether the cancer caused the low levels of cholesterol or the low levels of cholesterol were causing the cancer.. We still do not know but it appears the effect hypothesis (that is that the low levels are a by-product of the cancer) is a bit less likely given new research out of Tuft's:
""Based on these data, it would suggest that lower cholesterol predated the development of cancer by quite a long time. Now, that doesn't necessarily speak to [low cholesterol] causing the cancer; it could have been related to something else altogether, but it's not supportive of the hypothesis that cancer caused the low levels of LDL cholesterol. We don't know why it predates cancer, but it would be premature to attribute it to the cancer itself.""
I must admit I am not sure what to do with this information. Further study is definitely warranted.
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