Allergies cut risk of low and high-grade glioma

WASHINGTON - University of Illinois researchers have found that allergies lower the risk of developing low and high-grade glioma.

The researchers used self-reported data on medically diagnosed allergies and antihistamine use for 419 patents with glioma and 612 cancer-free patients from Duke University and NorthShore University HealthSystem.

“Other studies have found a correlation between allergies and glioma risk. In this study we confirmed that allergies are protective and found that the more allergies one has, the more protected he or she is,” said Bridget McCarthy of the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health.

According to the study, allergies appeared to be protective and provided a reduced risk for those with who have a higher number and more types of allergies, according to the study results. Age of allergy diagnosis and years since diagnosis were not associated with glioma risk.

In addition, antihistamine use, including diphenhydramine hydrochloride (a possible neurocarcinogen), did not appear to affect glioma risk separately from the effects of allergies.

“Our study confirms that there is a relationship between the immune system of allergy sufferers and glioma risk. A comprehensive study of allergies and antihistamine use with standardized questions and biological markers is essential to further delineate the biological mechanism that may be involved in brain tumor development,” said McCarthy.

The findings have been published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. (ANI)