Infertility - an Advantage Against Prostate Cancer

Children are the future, as they say. But new research into prostate cancer shows, maybe your children say something about your future, too.

A doctor in Sweden has recently published his thesis, showing that infertile - or what he calls "subfertile" - men may have half the risk of prostate cancer of men who have at least one child.

Ask your doctor about risk factors for cancer.

In the a study examining the connection between fertility and prostate cancer risk, Yasir Ruhayel, M.D., from Lund University and Skane University Hospital compared 450 men with prostate cancer against a control group of 450 men without prostate cancer.

This research was based on the Malmö Diet and Cancer population study, a ten year record of 53,000 men and women over the age of 45 in Sweden.

The link between subfertility and reduced prostate cancer risk was stronger than other common risk factors including diet, smoking, alcohol use or disease, according to this study.

Dr. Ruhayel urged further study of the topic before any conclusions are drawn.

"We have found certain genetic associations, but the results are preliminary and more extensive studies involving a larger number of men are needed before the significance of the genetics can be verified", says Yasir Ruhayel.

The finding is not just significant for prostate cancer risk. Possible connections between male fertility and prostate cancer could be explored for ways to enhance fertility.

Dr. Ruhayel presented his thesis at Lund University, and the paper is available online.

Results should be considered preliminary until published in a peer reviewed journal.