Friday 06/February/2026 – 02:55 PM
A recent scientific study published in the journal Cell revealed a possible biological pathway that may explain the relationship that scientists observed years ago between the history of infection Baltumor and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, according to foxnews.
Does a tumor reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease?
The study relied on mouse models to study the effect of biological changes associated with some types of cancer on the brain. Researchers concluded that these changes may help reduce the accumulation of toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The results showed that some types of tumor release a protein known as cystatin-C, which can travel through the bloodstream and reach the brain, an area that is difficult for many Alzheimer’s treatments to penetrate.
This protein binds to harmful amyloid protein clumps and activates another protein called TREM2, which acts as a switch for immune cells in the brain. When activated, these cells begin to remove accumulated amyloid plaques, a process that has been associated with lower plaque levels and improved cognitive function in the study models.
Dr. Bob Arnott, an internist based in Vermont, said that the study results help explain a statistical pattern known to researchers as inverse comorbidity, in which it was observed that people with cancer are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, and vice versa.
Arnott, who was not involved in the research, explained that the importance of the study lies in identifying a clear biological pathway that can be targeted in developing future treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, especially in patients who already suffer from the accumulation of amyloid plaques.
Arnott warned against misinterpreting the results, stressing that the study does not mean that cancer protects against Alzheimer’s or represents a cure for it, but rather indicates that some biological mechanisms that are active during tumor infection may unintentionally lead to the activation of protective immune responses in the brain.
He added that these results open the door to developing future treatments that not only slow the progression of the disease, but may also contribute to removing harmful protein accumulations associated with the deterioration of cognitive functions.
