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NEW ORLEANS — Specific sexually transmitted diseases are associated with prostate cancer, most significantly so, according to a metaanalysis.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men and is estimated to account for one-third of all new cases of cancer in men this year. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in this group and will be responsible for an estimated 30,000 deaths this year, according to the American Cancer Society.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) cause inflammation of the prostate, which might increase the risk for malignancy, Marcia L. Taylor, M.D., said at the annual conference of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.
A previous metaanalysis of 17 case-control studies showed an association (odds ratio 1.44) between and increased risk of prostate cancer and history of any STD infection in men (Epidemiology 2002;13:72–9). “But there were study limitations,” said Dr. Taylor of the Medical University of South Carolina. The researchers, for example, did not include human papillomavirus (HPV) or a subgroup analysis of specific STDs.
To determine more specific associations, Dr. Taylor and her colleagues performed a Medline search of published reports from 1966 to August 2004. They found 29 case-control studies that demonstrated an association between prostate cancer and any STD or gonorrhea, syphilis, or HPV.
There was a statistically significant association between any STD and an increased risk of prostate cancer (OR 1.48) based on 6,022 cases in the 29 studies. Similarly, researchers found a statistically significant association between gonorrhea and prostate cancer (OR 1.39), based on 2,241 cases in 11 studies; and between HPV and prostate cancer (OR 1.52), based on 2,305 cases in 10 studies.
The association between syphilis and prostate cancer, based on 2,254 cases in seven case-control studies, did not reach statistical significance (OR 1.42).
Some studies included in the metaanalysis controlled for confounding variables, and some did not. Researchers, for example, did not account for exposure to multiple STDs or patients with asymptomatic infection.
Recall bias is another possible limitation. “Most used patient history for documentation of STDs, and not all patients may have been forthcoming,” Dr. Taylor reported.
NEW ORLEANS — Specific sexually transmitted diseases are associated with prostate cancer, most significantly so, according to a metaanalysis.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men and is estimated to account for one-third of all new cases of cancer in men this year. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in this group and will be responsible for an estimated 30,000 deaths this year, according to the American Cancer Society.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) cause inflammation of the prostate, which might increase the risk for malignancy, Marcia L. Taylor, M.D., said at the annual conference of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.
A previous metaanalysis of 17 case-control studies showed an association (odds ratio 1.44) between and increased risk of prostate cancer and history of any STD infection in men (Epidemiology 2002;13:72–9). “But there were study limitations,” said Dr. Taylor of the Medical University of South Carolina. The researchers, for example, did not include human papillomavirus (HPV) or a subgroup analysis of specific STDs.
To determine more specific associations, Dr. Taylor and her colleagues performed a Medline search of published reports from 1966 to August 2004. They found 29 case-control studies that demonstrated an association between prostate cancer and any STD or gonorrhea, syphilis, or HPV.
There was a statistically significant association between any STD and an increased risk of prostate cancer (OR 1.48) based on 6,022 cases in the 29 studies. Similarly, researchers found a statistically significant association between gonorrhea and prostate cancer (OR 1.39), based on 2,241 cases in 11 studies; and between HPV and prostate cancer (OR 1.52), based on 2,305 cases in 10 studies.
The association between syphilis and prostate cancer, based on 2,254 cases in seven case-control studies, did not reach statistical significance (OR 1.42).
Some studies included in the metaanalysis controlled for confounding variables, and some did not. Researchers, for example, did not account for exposure to multiple STDs or patients with asymptomatic infection.
Recall bias is another possible limitation. “Most used patient history for documentation of STDs, and not all patients may have been forthcoming,” Dr. Taylor reported.
NEW ORLEANS — Specific sexually transmitted diseases are associated with prostate cancer, most significantly so, according to a metaanalysis.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men and is estimated to account for one-third of all new cases of cancer in men this year. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in this group and will be responsible for an estimated 30,000 deaths this year, according to the American Cancer Society.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) cause inflammation of the prostate, which might increase the risk for malignancy, Marcia L. Taylor, M.D., said at the annual conference of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.
A previous metaanalysis of 17 case-control studies showed an association (odds ratio 1.44) between and increased risk of prostate cancer and history of any STD infection in men (Epidemiology 2002;13:72–9). “But there were study limitations,” said Dr. Taylor of the Medical University of South Carolina. The researchers, for example, did not include human papillomavirus (HPV) or a subgroup analysis of specific STDs.
To determine more specific associations, Dr. Taylor and her colleagues performed a Medline search of published reports from 1966 to August 2004. They found 29 case-control studies that demonstrated an association between prostate cancer and any STD or gonorrhea, syphilis, or HPV.
There was a statistically significant association between any STD and an increased risk of prostate cancer (OR 1.48) based on 6,022 cases in the 29 studies. Similarly, researchers found a statistically significant association between gonorrhea and prostate cancer (OR 1.39), based on 2,241 cases in 11 studies; and between HPV and prostate cancer (OR 1.52), based on 2,305 cases in 10 studies.
The association between syphilis and prostate cancer, based on 2,254 cases in seven case-control studies, did not reach statistical significance (OR 1.42).
Some studies included in the metaanalysis controlled for confounding variables, and some did not. Researchers, for example, did not account for exposure to multiple STDs or patients with asymptomatic infection.
Recall bias is another possible limitation. “Most used patient history for documentation of STDs, and not all patients may have been forthcoming,” Dr. Taylor reported.