Is There a Link Between Sex and Prostate Cancer?

Those men who are very sexually active in their youth are more likely to get prostate cancer, says one of the latest studies on the subject.

 

Prostate cancer usually affects older people. (jlp)

 

The study was conducted at Nottingham University and included 800 men. The team led by Dr Polyxeni Dimitropoulou recruited 400 men diagnosed with prostate cancer as well as 409 men who were thought to be free of this disease. Participants were asked how often they had been sexually active (including masturbation) in their 20s, 30s and 40s. They were also asked how many sexual partners they had had and whether they had been diagnosed with any genital infections. Approximately 59% of men in both groups replied that they had been sexually active 12 times a month or more in their 20s, while the percentage was 48% for the period of their 30s, 28% for their 40s, and 13% for their 50s. Two-fifths of the cancer group had had six or more sexual partners, in contrast to the non-cancer group.

According to the findings of the study, Jack should definitely suffer from prostate cancer. (jlp)

 

There was also a difference in the frequency of masturbation, but the gap between the two groups narrowed as the men aged, suggesting that the difference was strongest in their 20s. Dr Dimitropoulous comments: “What makes our study stand out from previous research is that we focused on a younger age group than normal and included both intercourse and masturbation at various stages in the participants’ lives.” She speculated that higher levels of sex hormones in some men were both responsible for their high sex drive and for the development of prostate cancer later on. “Hormones appear to play a key role in prostate cancer and it is very common to treat men with therapy to reduce the hormones thought to stimulate the cancer cells.” The reasons why the link between sexual activity and prostate cancer diminishes with advancing age are still unclear. Some studies have shown that sexual activity releases toxins from the prostate.

 

Testosterone is associated with prostate cancer risk. (jlp)

 

Some people are sceptical about the findings of the study. J. Neate, chief executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, expresses his doubts about the validity of the study, which should be backed by more evidence, in his opinion: “The role of sexual activity is becoming an increasing focus for prostate cancer research but unfortunately this study does little to offer any practical advice to men wishing to reduce their risk of the disease.”

He adds: “The study is retrospective, and asks men to complete a questionnaire about their sexual history. However, in relying on men to recall information from 20 or 30 years ago, it is likely that there will be some inaccuracy in the data collected, as men either consciously or unconsciously forget the details which could in fact compromise the findings. The sample used in the study is also relatively small, making it difficult to draw any general conclusions.”

 

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