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A recent report from the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Mucci et al states there might be a very small increase in risk over all and a larger increased risk for advanced or lethal prostate cancer. The study from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, examined the correlation between vasectomy and prostate cancer in over 6000 US men with prostate cancer in the “Health Professionals Follow Up Study”. Men who had had a vasectomy had a very slight increase in relative risk of 1.1 (10% higher) and those with aggressive disease had a slightly higher risk of 1.2.
In fact, the authors actually get it right in their comments and most everyone else, particularly in the media, are getting it wrong. In their data set, there was an “association” of the two populations: Men with vasectomy and Men with prostate cancer. However, any suggestion that one causes the other is a myth. And there are plenty of myths about vasectomy.
Other myths about vasectomy include:
The most important consideration is that there is currently no plausible proposed biological mechanism by which a vasectomy might increase the risk of cancer.
Finally, several other studies have not found any correlation between vasectomy and prostate cancer. For example, in a 1999 study by Michael Brawer et al in Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and prevention published, a study of a more select population of over 700 patients with prostate cancer who were questioned with respect to a variety of possible associations. In addition to PSA, Patients were also questioned regarding demographics, reproductive history, stature, family history, smoking, alcohol consumption, sexual history and occupation. Finding revealed there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of prostate cancer in vasectomy versus non vasectomy groups.
Therefore, at this point in time, I am comfortable stating that there is insufficient evidence to show concern of increasing the risk of getting prostate cancer simply by having a vasectomy, but I’m also comfortable stating that there is testimony from many of my patients that they have less worry and more enjoyment from life after their birth control was put on autopilot.
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