New research shows that good cholesterol, as opposed to bad cholesterol, can actually help destroy cancer tumors. High-density lipoproteins have the ability to act as a special delivery vehicle from the cancer area to the liver for disposal of harmful particles.

“RNA interference has great therapeutic potential but delivering to cancer cells has been problematic”, said Dr. Anil Sood, the senior author of the study. “Combining siRNA with HDL provides an efficient way to get these molecules to their targets. This study has several important implications in the ability to fight certain cancers”. In fact, by using small interfering RNA to shoot off cancer genes, scientists were able to successfully destroy or reduce the size of ovarian tumors in mice.

Researchers say that the next step in this research is to do trials in humans because they were able to get rid of 70% to 90% of tumors in mice without harmful drugs accumulating and negatively affecting non-cancerous tissues and cells.

The team of scientists created synthetic HDL since it is more stable than the naturally-occurring HDL, and using the rHDL has not yet shown immunologic responses, which has minimized the potential for side effects from the treatment. In addition, rHDL helps block metastasis of the organ, keeping the body healthier longer.