Infertile men may be at more than twice the risk of developing high-grade aggressive prostate cancer, according to researchers at the Department of Urology, University of Washington.
The research, published in the medical journal Cancer evaluated the incidences of diagnosed prostate cancer in 22562 men who had been referred to infertility clinics from 1967 to 1998. The statistics were then compared against occurrences of the disease in men from the general population, all of whom were of similar ages and from the same geographical locations.
Out of those diagnosed as suffering from male factor infertility, 168 cases of prostate cancer were identified, representing 1.2 percent of the infertile group. In contrast, only 0.4 percent of prostate cancer cases were reported from the general population sample.
The statistics showed that infertile men had a 2.6 times increased risk of developing high-grade aggressive prostate cancers, characterised by tumours that are more likely to grow and spread quickly to other parts of the body. Infertile men were also reported to be 1.6 times more likely to develop slow-growing prostate cancer.
According to the lead author of the study, Dr Thomas J. Walsh, the link between aggressive prostate cancer and male factor infertility is still unknown. He speculates however, that damaged DNA in infertile men may be a factor in reducing the body’s defences against certain cancer causing agents, which in turn raises the risk of developing the more aggressive type of prostate cancer.
The study concludes that “male infertility may be an early and identifiable risk factor for the development of clinically significant prostate cancer.”
In light of this, Walsh suggests that if further research confirms the link, suffers of male factor infertility may be prime candidates from prostate cancer screening earlier than currently recommended by the American Urological Association. Presently, the AUA suggests that men with a life expectancy of at least 10 years should be screened for prostate cancer from the age of 40 onwards.
Prostate cancer affects one in six men and according to the American Cancer Society has a mortality rate in men second only to lung cancer. Typically considered to be a disease affecting those over 50, recent years have seen an increase in the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in their 30’s and 40’s. The growing incidence of the disease is attributed to environmental factors including poor diet and environmental pollution. In addition, genetic factors may also play a role – those with a close blood relative diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 65 are also considered to be at greater risk of developing the disease.
Source: American Medical Association.
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