Long-Term Testosterone Use and Aggressive Prostate Cancer Risk

Categories: Spring 2016
Testosterone therapy rates are increasing among men, yet some medical experts question its effect on the prostate.

However, a new study from the University of Texas Medical Branch found no link between exposure to testosterone during a 5-year period and an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer. The authors believe that this is the first population- based study investigating long-term testosterone use and high-grade prostate cancer.

In addition, the total number of testosterone injections did not correlate to an increased risk of aggressive cancer. The study also did not find a link between testosterone therapy and patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) after diagnosis.

The researchers used data from SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) to identify 52,579 men diagnosed with prostate cancer, 574 of whom had a history of testosterone use.

This information could help men with testosterone deficiency weigh the risks and benefits of testosterone therapy.

The study was published in The Journal of Urology.

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