Table I.

Effect of cholesterol levels on cancers.

Cancer type	Cholesterol intake	Cholesterol synthesis	ABCA1 expression	Function	(Refs.)
Prostate cancer	HDLR high expression	High expression of squalene monooxygenase	Low expression (methylation)	High cholesterol promotes tumor development	(44,46)
Glioblastoma	-	High expression of HMGCR	Low expression	High cholesterol promotes tumor development	(25)
Pancreatic cancer	LDLR high expression	-	Low expression	High cholesterol promotes tumor development	(31,32)
Breast cancer	LDLR high expression	-	Low expression	27-HC promotes cell proliferation and metastasis	(43)
Lung cancer	-	-	Low expression	HDL-C is negatively correlated with the occurrence and development of lung cancer	(48,67)
Ovarian cancer	-	High expression of cholesterol synthase	Low expression (methylation)	High cholesterol promotes tumor development	(56,57)

ABC, ATP-binding cassette; LDLR, low-density lipoprotein receptor; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.