Allergies can prevent brain cancer

The incidence of asthma, hay fever or any of the allergic conditions can reduce the risk of a kind of brain cancer that may be fatal.

Variations in certain genes in adults can cause the adults being more prone to the attacks of asthma and other allergic reactions. And these gene variations also prevent the incidence of the most common form of brain cancer in the same adults. The researchers of Ohio State University had said that the brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) might be prevented by the same genetic factors that cause allergies.

Researchers had found that the different kinds of polymorphic forms of two genes are responsible for people being susceptible to allergic conditions and having a minor risk of GBM.

The current study includes results of DNA testing along with the participants’ self report regarding the incidence of asthma and other allergic reactions. The research report shows that specific polymorphisms on the IL-4RA and IL-13 genes increase the higher risk to asthma and lowers the risk of GBM. The research also shows that increased risk to asthma in the genes however need not lead to asthmatic attacks or related allergic reactions, because of the polymorphisms.

Reference: Cancer Research, July 2005