Cholesterol as an important factor in development of cancer

Many chronic diseases, including cancer, reveal metabolic adaptations, that will be resulted in pathophysiological changes. These changes include the alterations in lipid metabolism and changes in homeostasis of cholesterol. Today, Cholesterol is considered as not only a risk factor, but also prognostic factor for cancer. Tumor cells reveal higher levels of membrane cholesterol as a result of accumulation of cholesterol molecules. The given cellular component plays an important role in the growth, adhesion, migration and invasion of tumor cells. Thus, existing data indicates that further insights into cholesterol biosynthesis and uptake may be applied in strategies to prevent tumor relapse or metastasis, and may extend patient survival