Breast cancer is a major cause of death globally, and particularly in developed countries.
Breast cancer is influenced by
cholesterol membrane content, by affecting the signaling pathways modulating cell growth, adherence, and migration. Furthermore,
steroid hormones are derived from
cholesterol and these play a key role in the pathogenesis of
breast cancer. Although most findings have reported an inverse association between serum
high-density lipoprotein (
HDL)-cholesterol level and the risk of
breast cancer, there have been some reports of the opposite, and the association therefore remains unclear. HDL is principally known for participating in reverse
cholesterol transport and has an inverse relationship with the cardiovascular risk. HDL is heterogeneous, with particles varying in composition, size, and structure, which can be altered under different circumstances, such as
inflammation, aging, and certain diseases. It has also been proposed that HDL functionality might have a bearing on the
breast cancer. Owing to the potential role of
cholesterol in
cancer, its reduction using
statins, and particularly as an adjuvant during
chemotherapy may be useful in the anticancer treatment, and may also be related to the decline in
cancer mortality. Reconstituted HDLs have the ability to release chemotherapeutic drugs inside the cell. As a consequence, this may be a novel way to improve therapeutic targeting for the
breast cancer on the basis of detrimental impacts of oxidized HDL on
cancer development.