Testosterone and prostate cancer: What are the risks for middle-aged men? - Abstract

Men's Health Boston, One Brookline Place, Suite 624, Brookline, MA 02445, USA.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

 

 

With increased recognition of the benefits of testosterone (T) therapy for middle-aged men, there has been a concomitant reexamination of the historical fear that raising T will result in more prostate cancer (PCa). Studies have failed to show increased risk of PCa in men with higher serum T, and supraphysiologic T fails to increase prostate volume or prostate-specific antigen in healthy men. This apparent paradox is explained by the Saturation Model, which posits a finite capacity of androgen to stimulate PCa growth. Modern studies indicate no increased risk of PCa among men with serum T in the therapeutic range.

Written by:
Morgentaler A.   Are you the author?

Reference: Urol Clin North Am. 2011 May;38(2):119-24.
doi: 10.1016/j.ucl.2011.02.002

PubMed Abstract
PMID: 21621078

UroToday.com Prostate Cancer Section