Men who suffer from chronic prostatitis or inflammation of the prostate may be at higher risk of developing prostate cancer, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.
Researchers found that those who had the chronic inflammation in the prostate tissue may have close to twice the risk of developing prostate cancer compared to those without inflammation. Prostate tissue biopsies were collected from the Placebo Arm of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial by the Southwest Oncology Group.
"What we've shown in this observational study is a clear association between prostate inflammation and prostate cancer, although we can't prove that inflammation is a cause of prostate cancer," said Elizabeth A. Platz, Sc.D., M.P.H., a professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and the School of Medicine.
Participants belonged to both categories; diagnosed with prostate cancer and who did not have prostate cancer. All the participants underwent a prostate biopsy as recommended by the study.
"Because inflammation makes PSA levels go up, men with inflammation are more likely to have higher PSA and, with a rising PSA, they're more likely to be biopsied," said Platz. "By doing more biopsies on these men, prostate cancer is more likely to be detected, even if inflammation is not a cause of prostate cancer."
The research was published April 18 in the Journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. An estimated 238,590 new cases were reported in 2013, with 29,720 deaths.
- It is most common in men over age 65 to 70 and is rare (but does occur) before age 50.
- It is the most common form of cancer in black men.
- Only 10% of men over 65 will develop prostate cancer that progresses enough to cause symptoms.
- About 10% of men who have transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) are found to have cancer, but prostate cancer is not related to or caused by BPH 1.
- Microscopic tumors that have not caused symptoms or problems are found on autopsy in up to 70% of men in their 70s and 80s who have died of other causes.
Treatment for prostate cancer can included surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or control of hormones that affect the cancer.
Source : http://yottafire.com/2014/04/does-chronic-prostate-inflammation-cause-cancer-new-study/
