A study from the University of California, Davis, has found that lean body mass in men correlates with a lower risk of prostate cancer.

Until now, it was not known if body size played a role in the development of prostate cancer.

The study, led by Dr. John Witte, looked at 439 men with prostate cancer and compared them to their 479 cancer-free brothers. Lean body mass was measured in all of the men, as were several other variables, including height, weight, and body mass index, or BMI.

They researchers found that the more lean body mass a man has, the less likely he is to develop prostate cancer. The study was published in the Journal of Urology.

"We found that LBM is inversely associated with the development or aggressiveness of prostate cancer ..." wrote Witte. "The potential biologic mechanisms underlying this observation merit further investigation."

Witte and his colleagues speculate that the relationship between lean body mass and prostate cancer may be due to the hormone androgen. Androgen levels are elevated in men with higher lean body mass, opening the possibility that the hormone may guard against the cancer.

The prostate, a gland found in the male reproductive system, makes, stores, and secretes a fluid that accounts for a large part of the volume of semen. Prostate cancer is a slowly progressing disease, and often goes undetected for years. Symptoms may include problems with urination, blood in the urine or semen, painful ejaculation, and pain in the lower back and upper legs.

Doctors can screen for early signs of prostate cancer through a rectal exam or through blood tests. There is no solid evidence that screening for prostate cancer ultimately saves lives.

Still, the American Cancer Society recommends regular medical check-ups including prostate exams for adult males over the age of 50. Those at high risk for the disease, including men with family members who had prostate cancer diagnosed at an early age and African American men, should be tested beginning at age 40.

Prostate cancer is second only to skin cancer as the most prevalent form of cancer among men in the United States. One in six American men develop prostate cancer over the course of their lifetime. More than 230,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, while approximately 30,000 die from the disease.

"Increasing lean body mass is important for reducing risks of heart disease, diabetes and erectile problems," said Dr. Steven Lamm, myDNA's chair of men's health content.

"Additional population studies suggesting a benefit in reducing the incident of aggressive prostate cancer adds further ammunition for changing lifestyles as a powerful intervention," he said.

"The mechanism involved will probably be multi-factorial, and although effects on testosterone are interesting. I suspect that multiple genetic modulators, which are the result of decreased body fat affecting the prostate, will be discovered."

Related News:
Obese men less healthy than obese women
UK experts debate prostate cancer test
PSA tests: Not last word on prostate cancer
Can prostate cancer be prevented?

© 2006 mydna.com