Studies Show Allergies Can Reduce Risk for Brain Tumors: In a recent study conducted by the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center in conjunction with the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), scientists found clear links between the presence of allergy related antibodies and the reduced risk of brain tumors in study participants.

OSU’s lead author of the study, Epidemiologist Judith Schwartzbaum, PhD, has analyzed blood samples from study patients gathered 20 years before and found that those who had allergies had nearly half the risk of developing glioma (brain tumor) than those without allergies. That risk is reduced even more for women with allergen antibodies in their bodies with just over a 50% reduced risk compared to men with allergies who had a 20% reduced risk in developing glioblastoma, a cancerous tumor that makes up over 60% of adult tumors.

The study shows that allergy antibodies may motivate the body’s immune system to fight against cancerous brain tumor cells, decreasing the odds of developing glioma. The university states that the allergy correlation is their most significant finding in the study and in their search for the cure for brain tumors, giving a clear indication that antibodies and allergies play a part in reducing the risk of the development of a brain tumor.

RedOrbit, a premier online source for science, health and technology, talks more about the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center study in the article “Allergies Linked To Reduced Risk Of Brain Tumors.”