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Sexual activity and prostate cancer risk in men diagnosed at a younger age
Author(s) -
Dimitropoulou Polyxeni,
Lophatana Artitaya,
Easton Douglas,
Pocock Richard,
Dearnaley David P.,
Guy Michelle,
Edwards Steven,
O’Brien Lynne,
Hall Amanda,
Wilkinson Rosemary,
Eeles Rosalind,
Muir Kenneth R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.2008.08030.x
Subject(s) - prostate cancer , medicine , sexual intercourse , disease , etiology , cancer , gynecology , sex organ , population , biology , environmental health , genetics
OBJECTIVE To examine, in a case‐control study, the association between the frequency of sexual activity (intercourse, masturbation, overall) and prostate cancer risk in younger men diagnosed at ≤60 years old. PATIENTS, SUBJECTS AND METHODS In all, 431 prostate cancer cases and 409 controls participated and provided information on their sexual activity. In particular, the frequencies of intercourse and masturbation during the participants’ different age decades (20s, 30s, 40s, 50s) were collected. RESULTS Whereas frequent overall sexual activity in younger life (20s) increased the disease risk, it appeared to be protective against the disease when older (50s). Alone, frequent masturbation activity was a marker for increased risk in the 20s and 30s but appeared to be associated with a decreased risk in the 50s, while intercourse activity alone was not associated with the disease. CONCLUSION These findings could imply different mechanisms by which sexual activity is involved in the aetiology of prostate cancer at different ages. Alternatively, there is a possibility of reverse causation in explaining part of the protective effect seen for men in their 50s.