Age, family history and ethnicity still play a role in increasing prostate cancer risk
New research has revealed that men with higher free testosterone and growth hormone levels in their blood are at risk of developing prostate cancer. This research was presented at the NCRI Cancer Conference of 2019. Some other factors remain unchanged and they include ethnicity, older age and family history of prostate cancer.
Study shows irrefutable evidence of two factors
For this study, more than 200,000 males were participants. It is the first one to provide concrete evidence of the two factors that can be modified to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Dr. Ruth Travis, an associate professor was the lead researchers along with Ellie Watt, a research fellow. Both researchers are based at the University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Population Health.
About 200,452 men who were members of the UK Biobank projects were studied. All men were cancer-free at the start of the program. None of them took hormone therapy. However, they were given blood samples that were tested for testosterone levels as well as a growth hormone known as growth factor-I. The levels of free testosterone or testosterone circulating in the blood were checked. The testosterone isn’t bound by molecules and can affect the body negatively.
One subsection of about 9,000 men submitted a blood sample later one to assist the researchers to find fluctuations in hormone levels. These men were then examined for 6 to 7 years to see whether they developed prostate cancer. So far, 5,412 cases of prostate cancer were recorded and there were already 296 deaths from the dreadful disease. The main discovery led the researchers to conclude that men who had a higher concentration of these two hormones in their bloodstream were at risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
