Parkinson's Disease Linked to Risk of Developing 16 Types of Cancer, Study Shows

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A new Taiwanese study has shown that Parkinson's disease is linked to increased risk of developing 16 types of cancers.

The new study made by Taiwanese researchers and published online in JAMA Oncology disproves previous Western studies that claim Parkinson's Disease (PD) can lessen the risk of getting certain types of cancers. The research was conducted to explain genetic background's roles in the development of diseases since most PD studies were conducted in Western populations.

Parkinson's is a degenerative disorder that affects the body's movement due to nerve cell problems in the brain, according to WebMD. The most common symptoms of the disease include tremor, slow movement, stiff muscles and balance or walking problems. There is no known cure or treatment for this progressive disease. However, many treatments can be administered to help relieve symptoms or improve life quality.

The researchers found that those with Parkinson's do not have the increased likelihood of developing breast, ovarian or thyroid cancers. According to Inquisitr, those with PD, who are at most risk of developing different kinds of cancers, are between ages 50 and 59.

However, Parkinson's is linked to increased risk with 16 other cancers, including: lung cancers, malignant brain cancers, skin cancers, lymphoma/leukemia, urinary tract cancers and hormone-related cancers.

For the research, Pan-Chyr Yang, M.D., Ph.D., of Taipei's National Taiwan University College of Medicine and colleagues built a study group with over 60,000 newly diagnosed PD patients from 2004 to 2010 and more than 120,000 control participants without the disease. They gathered their data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

"Based on this nationwide study on the association between PD [Parkinson disease] and cancer risk, we conclude that PD is a risk factor for most cancer in Taiwan," the study authors said, according to Eureka Alert. "Further studies are needed to clarify whether our findings can be applied to other East Asian populations. The striking differences between our study and the previous studies in Western cohorts suggest the importance of ethnicity and environmental exposures in disease pathogenesis."

There is no concrete evidence to show why the latest Taiwanese study disputes previous Western studies on Parkinson's. According to the researchers, further studies are needed to determine the connection or lack thereof of PD to cancer.

Some famous celebrities who are known to have the disease include: boxing Champion Muhammad Ali, Michael J. Fox, Johnny Cash, "Peanuts" comic strip creator Charles Schultz, NBA player Brian Grant, and the late Pope John Paul II, according to Healthline.