Preliminary studies have been done to find a link between hair loss in men and prostate cancer. The results suggest that balding men who underwent biopsies of the prostate were more likely to test positive compared to those who have a full head of hair.
The study was done by researchers at the University of Toronto on 214 men. However according to Dr. Anuj Agarwala, who is an oncologist at the Community Health Network, he begs to differ saying that the number of study participants created only a small or an insignificant link.
He further added that regardless of the amount of hair that a man has on his head, he should always talk to his doctor about regular prostate screening after the age of 40 to immediately detect prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death in men. There are a number of factors that leads to this particular malignancy, and this includes, genetics, toxins introduced by environmental factors, certain chemicals, aging, and hormones. It can progress without showing any physical signs until it can become too advanced to manage. That is why regular screening is important.
So where does the link between hair loss and prostate cancer come in?
As mentioned earlier, one of the causative factors of prostate cancer are hormonal in nature. And those particular hormones are testosterone and DHT (dihydrotestosterone). They are secreted from the testicles, and unfortunately these two can also stimulate cancer cell growth in the prostate gland. It is that walnut sized organ near the base of the bladder.
To control the excessive production of these hormones, experts developed hormone therapy which is aimed at reducing the amounts of testosterone and DHT in the body.
When you look at male pattern baldness, you might say that the culprits sound familiar. In this particular condition the hormone that is most aggressive in denuding your head of hair is DHT. When it reaches your scalp, it causes the hair follicles to thin, shrink and then shed off in excessive amounts.
So you now see the relation why the studies came about, and what it suggests about the risk of bald men towards prostate cancer.
But Agarwala claims that the risk of developing this condition is still at large for men who are aging. To put it simply, evidence is not yet strong enough to prove that if you experience balding, you are more prone to develop prostate cancer. Only your doctor can fully determine the causes and evaluate what factors are fuelling the malignancy.
According to Dr. Stephen Ruthven, the president of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand, PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) along with a physical examination is still the definitive way to determine prostate cancer.
There is no need to alarm balding men unnecessarily, but rather underline the importance of regular Prostate self-examination for them to monitor any changes. And this holds true for those who have and don’t have hair.
Most prostate cancer patients may also be hair loss victims but it doesn’t always prove any direct relationship between the two, pending further studies.