Cornell University researchers Paul Sherman, Erica Holland, and Janet Shellman Sherman have published a new article in the December 2008 edition of The Quarterly Review of Biology that suggest allergies help protect against certain types of cancer.

The research indicates that allergies perform this function in two ways. Allergy symptoms expel foreign particles that may be carcinogenic in nature. This action prevents the carcinogens from coming into contact with the organs in the body. In addition, allergies may serve as an early warning system that lets us know when there are substances in the air that should be avoided.

Previous research into the connections between allergies and cancer has found mixed results. The spectrum of results and answers goes from a direct linkage between the two to no connection at all between allergies and cancer. In an attempt to explain this wide range of results, the Cornell group studied the studies. They looked at over 600 studies from the past fifty years. They found an inverse relationship between allergies and cancers found in body tissues that are exposed to environmental factors. According to this study, if you have allergies, you are less likely to get cancer in these exposed areas.

These results are new and untested, but they fit in with our philosophy here at achoo! Allergy. We believe in environmental control and allergen avoidance to help fight allergies. We want to limit contact with airborne allergens and carcinogenic substances that enter the body. Our focus is on improving indoor air quality through the use of air purifiers, allergy relief bedding, and HEPA vacuum cleaners.