Cancer Council’s shock finding

MEN with a history of melanoma have a higher risk of prostate cancer, shock new research has revealed.

Males who have had two or more melanomas are at least two times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than men who have never been diagnosed with melanoma, a study by the Cancer Council’s Daffodil Centre has found.

The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, analysed data from 96,548 Australian men from the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study. They found a 20 to 40 per cent rise in the risk of prostate cancer diagnosis in men with a history of a melanoma diagnosis compared to those without.

Lead author Dr Visalini Nair-shalliker said the findings add to a growing body of evidence around melanoma as a possible risk factor for prostate cancer.

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men but there are few known risk factors. Previous research has not been able to account for the possibility that men with a prior melanoma might be more vigilant regarding other health issues such as cancers. This study was able to adjust for how regularly men were having prostate cancer tests,” the prostate cancer expert said.

“Our findings indicate a strong correlation between history of melanoma and a subsequent prostate cancer diagnosis, even after we over-adjusted for frequency of PSA testing and GP consultations. The findings for men who have had more than one melanoma were particularly strong, with the risk of developing prostate cancer two to three times higher.” Associate Professor David Smith, leader of the Daffodil Centre’s Prostate Cancer stream and Chair of Cancer Council’s Prostate Portfolio Group, said the study’s findings were also interesting in the broader context of men’s health.