Alzheimer’s ‘may protect against cancer’

New research has claimed that people who have Alzheimer’s disease may be less likely to develop cancer.

The study, which was published in the online issue of the journal Neurology, suggested that the same may also be true the other way around – with people who have cancer being less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

At the start of the study, 164 people (5.4 per cent) already had Alzheimer’s disease and 522 people (17.3 per cent) already had a cancer diagnosis.

During the length of the study, 478 people developed dementia and 376 people developed invasive cancer.

The research found that people who had Alzheimer’s disease at the start of the study saw their risk of future cancer hospitalisation reduced by 69 per cent, compared to those who did not have the disease at the start.

Commenting on the findings, Catherine Roe from Washington University School of Medicine, said: “Discovering the links between these two conditions may help us better understand both diseases and open up avenues for possible treatments.”