The vas deferens is the tube which conveys the sperm from
the testes to the urethra during ejaculation of semen. Cutting the vas deferens
(vasectomy procedure) therefore prevents
the sperm from entering the semen. The ejaculate will not contain sperms
and vasectomized men will not be able to father children.
Association
Between Vasectomy and Prostate
Cancer
- The study team
obtained data from Danish national health registers that included a
population of 2,150,162 Danish
men between January 1937 and December 1996
- The average
duration of follow-up was 24.8
years per person
- Overall, 26,238 cases of prostate cancer were
reported in the study population (2,150,162) during the study
period
- On the whole, vasectomized men showed a 15% higher
relative risk of prostate cancer compared to men who had not undergone
vasectomy
- According to the
study team, even after limiting the analysis to occurrence of metastatic prostate cancer and cancer that spread
beyond the covering capsule of the prostate, vasectomized men showed a
higher risk of prostate cancer
- The increased
risk of prostate cancer after vasectomy started 10 years after the procedure remained for at least 30
years after the procedure regardless of the age at vasectomy and stage
of prostate cancer at diagnosis
- Men who had
undergone vasectomy were found to have a lower risk of other cancers
compared with men who had not, suggesting that vasectomized men are
healthier compared to the general population
The findings of the study therefore suggest that
vasectomy may be associated with a small
but significant increase in risk of prostate cancer over time.
The possible reasons for this observation according to the
study authors are that
vasectomy removes
the potential protective effect of increased sperms in the semen as well as
having more offspring (fecundity) against prostate cancer.
Possible
Demerits of Study
- The study did not include prostate-specific
antigen screening (PSA) data of the participants or clinical
evaluation such as digital rectal
examination (DRE) findings which are important in evaluating prostate
cancer risk
- Previous studies
have concluded that vasectomy is a safe procedure and does not increase
prostate cancer risk
- The data of the current study are
therefore not sufficient to establish a definite causal relationship
between vasectomy and prostate cancer
Prostate
Cancer
Prostate cancer is malignancy of the prostate, a
small walnut-shaped gland in men that forms the seminal fluid that nourishes
the sperms and helps in their transport to the urethra.
Risk of prostate increases with age, obesity, family history
and is higher in black men. Screening tests for prostate cancer for early
diagnosis include estimation of serum PSA which will be elevated and needs
confirmatory tests to establish or rule out the diagnosis and determine the
stage and risk of spread.
Treatment of prostate cancer depends on its severity and
stage and includes surgery, radiation and hormone therapy as well as
chemotherapy and biological therapy.
The Danish study finds a
small overall risk of prostate cancer in vasectomized men compared to men who
are not vasectomized. However
due to
lack of sufficient data, a causal association between vasectomy and prostate
cancer cannot be definitely established.
References :- Vasectomy and prostate cancer risk: a 38-year nationwide cohort study - (https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djz099)
- Vasectomy Increases Prostate Cancer Risk Over Time - (https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/913655#vp_2)
Source: Medindia
Careers
