Editorial Team
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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : March 4, 2014 6:09 PM IST
Researchers at the Cincinnati Cancer Center have shown that levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in men's urine could be a marker of prostate cancer and that low levels of BPA exposure can cause cellular changes in both non-malignant and malignant prostate cells. The study provides the first evidence that urinary BPA levels may help predict prostate cancer and that disruption of a cell duplication cycle through exposure to low-dose BPA may cause cancer development in the prostate. (Read: Risk of prostate cancer may be reduced by daily brisk walks)
BPA, an environmental pollutant with estrogen activity, is used to make hard, clear plastic and is common in many food product containers. It has been linked to neurological defects, diabetes and a number of cancers, including breast and prostate. Principle investigator Shuk-mei Ho, PhD, director of the Cincinnati Cancer Center, Jacob G. Schmidlapp Chair of Environmental Health and professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said that human exposure to BPA is a common occurrence and that animal studies have shown that BPA contributes to development of prostate cancer but that human data are scarce. (Read: Beware vitamin E supplements could cause prostate cancer)
'Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in North America, and one in six men will develop it over their lifetime,' she said. 'However, the cancer is rarely diagnosed in men under the age of 40 with almost two-thirds of cases reported in men at age 65. 'Major contributing factors other than age are race and family history, whereas little is known about the impact of endocrine disruptors on prostate cancer,' she added. The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE. (Read: Prostate cancer tips to help you lower your level of risk)
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer forms in tissues of the prostate (a gland in the male reproductive system) and is one of the leading causes of cancer in men above the age of 60. Most cases could be slow growing and may even go undetected and not cause any problem. Some could be aggressive and can spread to other parts of the body and are difficult to treat. It usually presents with difficulty and pain during urination, blood in the urine along with sexual dysfunction. Advanced cases may present with bone pain in addition to the urinary symptoms. Prostate cancer is very rare before the age of 40 but the risk increases with age and most cases are detected in the late 60s. (Read: Prostate cancer what you ought to know)
With inputs from ANI
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