Is Male Hair Loss Linked to Prostate Cancer?

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Studies have been done to establish a link between male hair loss and prostate cancer. The results showed that men who are balding who underwent biopsies of the prostate gland were highly likely to test positive as opposed to those males who have a full head of hair.

The study was done by researchers from the University of Toronto with a total of 214 male participants. This number was contested by Dr. Anuj Agarwala who is an oncologist from the Community Health Network. According to him, the number of participants in this particular study is a negligible number.

He also said that despite the quantity of hairs that a man has on his head, it is imperative that he consult his physician about prostate evaluation as soon as he turns 40. This is for prompt detection of any signs of prostate cancer, which is the most predominant neoplasm in men.

There are a number of factors that cause prostate cancer in men. This includes a male’s genetic makeup, certain contaminants in the environment, some chemical substances, hormonal factors and aging.

This is a silent and sneaky condition as it was recorded to progress without even showing any physical symptoms. In most cases which ended in fatality, it was already far too advanced for treatment. This is the reason why routine diagnostic tests are important so that any problem that occurs will be promptly detected and managed.

So how is the incidence of hair loss and prostate cancer related?

As was mentioned earlier, one of the factors that cause prostate cancer are hormones, and this include testosterone and DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which is a more potent form of testosterone. These are produced by the testicles, and one of their actions is that it encourages cancer cell proliferation in the prostate gland.

In order to regulate the secretion of these hormones, experts introduced hormone therapy. This is to keep the levels of testosterone and DHT under control in the system.

With male pattern baldness, the culprit that is causing the hairs to shed is DHT. High levels of this hormone in your blood can lead to progressive baldness which starts off with hair thinning, shrinking and then excessively sheds.

This is the reason why studies are being conducted to establish a link between male pattern baldness and prostate cancer because they are driven by a common factor – hormones.

Agarwala contends that the information gathered is still substantial to fully verify whether those who experience hair loss are susceptible in developing prostate cancer.

For hair loss problem, a specialist can further verify the root cause of the problem. But this does not mean that just because a man is shedding his hair in excessive amounts, he could also be developing prostate cancer.

Dr. Stephen Ruthven, who is the president of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand, said that, PSA or Prostate Specific Antigen together with physical examination is a reliable method in establishing prostate cancer.

So for those men who have gone bald, or are still experiencing some progressive thinning, there is no need to stress you unduly about any cancer scare. But rather you should also remember that even though your hair loss may not be linked to any malignancies you should always submit yourself to routine PSAs. This is a very important way to monitor any subtle changes so that immediate treatment can be given.

So whether you are a victim of hair loss or not it pays to get yourself annually checked for prostate cancer. According to published materials, more evidence is still needed to establish a strong connection between hair loss and prostate cancer. 

If you have questions about male hair loss, please visit us here or contact us at:

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