Study links Parkinson’s to 16 types of cancer

A study conducted by researchers in Taiwan has found that people with Parkinson’s are at higher risk of being diagnosed with over 16 different types of cancer.

Using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to separate two groups of people – one with Parkinson’s and the other without – the researchers found Parkinson’s patients in Taiwan to be at an increased risk of malignant brain tumours, gastrointestinal tracts, lung cancers, some hormone-related cancers, urinary tract cancers, lymphoma/leukaemia, melanoma and other skin cancers.

Pan-Chyr Yang of the National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, said: “Based on this nationwide study on the association between Parkinson’s and cancer risk, we conclude that Parkinson’s is a risk factor for most cancer in Taiwan.”