Male infertility linked to high-grade prostate cancer
Scientists believe there may be as-yet unknown common biological pathways underlying both conditions.
Researchers in the US looked at more than 22,000 men assessed for infertility at 15 Californian clinics. Their incidence of prostate cancer was compared with that of a sample of men of similar age from the general population.
A total of 168 cases of the disease developed among the study group – slightly less than the expected rate of 185.
But 4,500 men confirmed as being infertile were 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with high grade prostate cancer than men who were tested and not found to be infertile.
The findings were reported yesterday in the journal, Cancer.
The team led by Dr Thomas Walsh, from the University of Washington in Seattle, said if the results were confirmed by other studies it may be appropriate for infertile men to be considered for early prostate cancer screening.
But Dr Helen Rippon, head of research management at the Prostate Cancer Charity, pointed out the number of men in the study diagnosed with aggressive forms of prostate cancer was very small, making it difficult to interpret the results.
“The findings of this research offer little practical advice to men wishing to reduce their risk of the disease. Only 19 of the 4,500 men who took part in the study were diagnosed with high grade prostate cancer and just 16 men were diagnosed with the form of the disease in the control group. With such small numbers of men affected, it is difficult to draw any firm conclusions about whether the suggested link does exist.
Each year 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Britain and 10,000 die from it.
