High cholesterol levels may increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, a large new British study reports (HealthDay News).

The findings suggest that keeping tight control over cholesterol through medication could help prevent breast cancer, said lead author Rahul Potluri, a researcher at the Aston University School of Medical Sciences in Birmingham, England.

Researchers reviewed the medical records of over 660,000 female patients in Birmingham and Manchester between 2000 and 2013, using a statistical model to study the association between high cholesterol and breast cancer.

The investigators determined that high cholesterol increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by 64 percent.

The researchers were scheduled to present their findings Friday at a meeting in Barcelona, Spain, organized by the European Society of Cardiology in collaboration with 13 other European medical societies.

They undertook the study after a mouse study last year linked aggressive breast cancer growth to a chemical created by the body’s processing of cholesterol, Potluri said. “Women should know that there is strong consistent evidence that being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight can help lower their risk of developing breast cancer after menopause.”

Dear ladies, check your cholesterol levels regularly!