Having ‘the snip’ raises risk of prostate cancer

MEN who have a vasectomy face an increased chance of developing prostate cancer and a higher risk of contracting the most aggressive form of the disease, a study has found.

The Harvard research on 50 000 men, the largest study to examine the link between sterilisation and cancer, found that those who had the procedure had a 10% greater chance of developing the disease. It also found a sharp increase in the risk of contracting the most aggressive form of prostate cancer, although this type of the disease is still relatively rare.

The dangers appeared to be highest among men who had a vasectomy at a younger age, researchers said.

The chance of developing the aggressive form of the disease increased among those who had a vasectomy before the age of 38.

Charities said the study was “extremely important”. Spokesmen advised that men needed to be told more about the risks of vasectomies.

One in eight men will develop the disease, with most cases occurring after the age of 65.

Most cases are “slow growing” and medical advice is often to keep the disease under surveillance.

Many men with the cancer will suffer no harm from it, but treatment, including surgery and radiotherapy, can have serious side effects such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School tracked 50 000 men, aged between 40 and 75, from 1986 to 2010.

The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, found that during these 24 years 25% of men had vasectomies and 6 023 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed.

Less than 2% developed the most aggressive form of the disease. Some previous studies had suggested a connection between sterilisation and cancer.