Paris (AFP)

Men with fertility problems are statistically more likely to develop prostate cancer than others, according to a Swedish study, which reinforces the hypothesis that these two health problems may have common causes.

The researchers studied Swedish men who became fathers for the first time between 1994 and 2014 and identified those who were diagnosed with cancer until 20 years after birth.

They concluded that those who had used reproductive medical assistance techniques "had a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer than those who had become fathers in a natural way," the article published here Thursday showed. British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Among the latter group, 0.28% were diagnosed with prostate cancer, compared to 0.37% for those who performed in vitro fertilization and 0.42% for men who received an ICSI (injection sperm in the ovum), an increase in risk of 30% to 60%.

The latter technique, "used for men with the most severe forms of infertility" (sperm abnormalities that prevent them from fertilizing the oocyte), is also associated with a risk almost doubled of early cancer (diagnosed before 55). years), says the study.

Its authors conclude that this category of men is a population at risk and should benefit from early detection of prostate cancer and long-term surveillance.

In an editorial accompanying the study, two endocrinology specialists at Imperial College London, however, recall that the value of such screening is discussed, because there is no evidence that it improves the survival rate. In addition, overdiagnosis and overtreatment that may result from a positive blood test result in significant changes in quality of life.

Prostate cancer and male infertility affect about 10% and 8% of men respectively in Western societies.

These two health problems are often related to male sex hormones, research on a possible link between the two have already been undertaken. But the weakness of studies conducted so far (low number of participants, too short follow-up time ...) has not allowed to draw definitive conclusions, stress the authors of the study.

The biological mechanism that could link infertility and prostate cancer "is not yet known" but "abnormalities on the Y chromosome" could play a role, according to two researchers at Imperial College.

© 2019 AFP