title: Cholesterol Levels in Blood and the Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Meta-analysis of 14 Prospective Studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As a neutral lipid and prominent component of the Western diet, cholesterol levels might be a risk factor for prostate cancer. However, current evidence has been inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between blood cholesterol levels and the risk of prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extensive search was performed in MEDLINE and EMBASE for prospective studies that have reported the association between total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels in blood and risk of prostate cancer. Random-effects models were used to summarize the study-specific results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. In the meta-analysis, the summarized risk ratios (RR) for the highest to lowest cholesterol levels were as follows: 1.05 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.97-1.14; P = 0.21] for TC, 0.93 (95% CI, 0.80-1.10; P = 0.40) for HDL, and 1.17 (95% CI, 0.88-1.55; P = 0.51) for LDL. When restricting to high-grade prostate cancer, the pooled RR was 1.32 (95% CI, 0.93-1.87; P = 0.13) for TC. In dose-response analyses, a 1 mmol/L increment in blood TC, HDL, and LDL level conferred an RR of 1.01 (95% CI, 0.99-1.02; P = 0.38), 0.98 (95% CI, 0.91-1.07; P = 0.72), and 1.04 (95% CI, 0.98-1.10; P = 0.24), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this meta-analysis of 14 large prospective studies, blood TC, HDL, and LDL levels were not associated with the risk of either overall prostate cancer or high-grade prostate cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings did not appear to support the hypothesis that hypercholesterolemia increases the risk of prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: YuPeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: YuXue
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The third Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: PengFei
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Center, Heilongjiang Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: YaShuang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China. duchenharbin@163.com ldroc1987@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DaPeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology Oncology, The third Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China. duchenharbin@163.com ldroc1987@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Du
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002784:Cholesterol