Researchers have confirmed a strong association between the sexually transmitted infection Trichomonas vaginalis and risk of advanced prostate cancer.
A previous study had found an association between risk of prostate cancer and T. vaginalis infection, but was not large enough to determine if there was a link between the infection and advanced prostate cancer.
Image: An electron micrograph depicting the T. vaginalis parasite adhering to vaginal epithelial cells. A non-adhered parasite (right) is pear-shaped, whereas the attached parasite is flat and amoeboid.
"Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in western countries, and the second leading cause of cancer-specific mortality. Identifying modifiable risk factors for the lethal form of prostate cancer offers the greatest opportunity to reduce suffering from this disease," said Jennifer Stark, lead author of the study.
One potential modifiable risk factor is inflammation, which appears to play an important role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. T. vaginalis, which infects an estimated 174 million people globally each year and is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection, can infect the prostate and could be a source of inflammation. With respect to prostate cancer prevention, it is noteworthy that up to three-quarters of men infected with T. vaginalis may not realize they are infected, since they may not have any symptoms.
In the present study, the researchers analyzed blood samples from 673 men with prostate cancer who were participants in the Physicians' Health Study and compared infection status based on antibody levels to 673 control subjects who were not diagnosed with prostate cancer. The blood samples were collected in 1982, on average a decade before cancer diagnosis.
The results showed that T. vaginalis infection was associated with a more than two-fold increase in the risk of prostate cancer that was advanced stage at diagnosis, and a nearly three-fold increase in prostate cancer that would result in death.
"The fact that we found a strong association between serologic evidence of infection with T. vaginalis, a potentially modifiable risk factor, and risk of advanced and lethal disease represents a step forward in prostate cancer, especially given that so few risk factors for aggressive prostate cancer have been identified," said Lorelei Mucci, senior author of the study.
The authors note that a much larger study would be required to confirm the findings. The study results suggest that prevention or early treatment of T. vaginalis infection could be a target for prostate cancer prevention.
A previous study had found an association between risk of prostate cancer and T. vaginalis infection, but was not large enough to determine if there was a link between the infection and advanced prostate cancer.
Image: An electron micrograph depicting the T. vaginalis parasite adhering to vaginal epithelial cells. A non-adhered parasite (right) is pear-shaped, whereas the attached parasite is flat and amoeboid.
"Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in western countries, and the second leading cause of cancer-specific mortality. Identifying modifiable risk factors for the lethal form of prostate cancer offers the greatest opportunity to reduce suffering from this disease," said Jennifer Stark, lead author of the study.
One potential modifiable risk factor is inflammation, which appears to play an important role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. T. vaginalis, which infects an estimated 174 million people globally each year and is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection, can infect the prostate and could be a source of inflammation. With respect to prostate cancer prevention, it is noteworthy that up to three-quarters of men infected with T. vaginalis may not realize they are infected, since they may not have any symptoms.
In the present study, the researchers analyzed blood samples from 673 men with prostate cancer who were participants in the Physicians' Health Study and compared infection status based on antibody levels to 673 control subjects who were not diagnosed with prostate cancer. The blood samples were collected in 1982, on average a decade before cancer diagnosis.
The results showed that T. vaginalis infection was associated with a more than two-fold increase in the risk of prostate cancer that was advanced stage at diagnosis, and a nearly three-fold increase in prostate cancer that would result in death.
"The fact that we found a strong association between serologic evidence of infection with T. vaginalis, a potentially modifiable risk factor, and risk of advanced and lethal disease represents a step forward in prostate cancer, especially given that so few risk factors for aggressive prostate cancer have been identified," said Lorelei Mucci, senior author of the study.
The authors note that a much larger study would be required to confirm the findings. The study results suggest that prevention or early treatment of T. vaginalis infection could be a target for prostate cancer prevention.
0 comments:
Post a Comment