Through the years, several studies have made an attempt to determine the relationship between hay fever and cancer. Some research shows that allergies inhibit cancer rates, while other studies conclude the exact opposite. Let’s discuss both hypotheses.
The most basic yet profound connection between hay fever and cancer is the immune system, which is our body’s self-defense system. The immune system consists of specialized cells that act as soldiers. They protect the body from infections and diseases by killing foreign invaders like bacteria, virus, and parasites. In some cases, the immune system may pick up on false positives and identify harmless substances like pollen and dust mites as threats, thus, resulting in an allergy.
During an allergy attack, the immune system becomes hypersensitive to an ordinarily non-threatening substance. The body’s immune cells overreact, causing inflammation and other allergy symptoms.
On the other hand, the immune system does the exact opposite when encountering cancer cells. Instead of being hypersensitive, they underreact. This is because cancer cells, in general, are not foreign invaders. They are among normal cells, but with damaged DNA.
Let’s use an analogy to explain both circumstances further: With allergies, soldiers identify what is unnatural or uncommon as a threat, and these are external substances like mold and dander. At the sight of these potential threats, the soldiers put up their defenses and launch an all-out assault. When it comes to cancer, the soldiers see a fellow trooper in uniform and recognize him or her as an ally, not knowing plague infects the individual. The infected soldier acts as a normal cell with a damaged DNA, perceiving no threat. But in reality, that one soldier is spreading the plague to the rest of the troops.
Since an allergy attack immediately triggers the immune system to prepare for battle, then perhaps those who suffer from allergies have lower risks of developing cancer. But is that really the case? Over the past few years, scientists have been trying to find the right answer. Let’s discuss their findings.
A Research by the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg concluded that hay fever patients had 2.63 times increased incidence in developing nasal cancer than the rest of the population. Those who suffer from allergic reactions also had a staggering 46% increased incidence of testicular cancer and a 42% higher risk of endocrine cancer.
Furthermore, the results show that 138,723 hay fever or allergic rhinitis patients also had an 18% higher risk of prostate cancer, a 31% higher risk of kidney cancers, and an 11% increased risk of breast cancers.
On the other hand, a study from the University of Toronto examined 345 hay fever cases and 1,285 controls, with key findings indicating that hay fever was associated with a 42% reduced risk of pancreatic cancer. In 2013, a similar conclusion was the result of a study from New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. According to research, the 3,567 cancer cases and 9,145 control subjects had a 21% decreased risk of pancreatic cancer.
In conclusion, studies show that there are two sides to a coin, revealing how hay fever may increase or prevent the occurrence of specific diseases. Though cancer and allergies continue to increase in prevalence, there are proactive solutions to decreasing your risks. These include enhancing your immune system with a healthy diet, exercising, and avoiding harmful substances in your environment.