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Funded Research 2006
Investigation of environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors for prostate cancer in younger men.
Prof Kenneth Muir, University of Nottingham
Prof Kenneth Muir and the team at the University of Nottingham
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men in developed countries. The incidence of the disease has risen markedly in recent years, partly as a result of more extensive screening.
The causes of prostate cancer remain poorly understood, with few established risk factors. The large variation in disease incidence between countries indicates that lifestyle and/or environmental factors are important determinants of prostate cancer. Although many environmental factors have been suggested to be associated with prostate cancer the results of previous studies have so far been conflicting.
Most studies have examined prostate cancer at older ages, but there are several reasons for specifically studying early onset prostate cancer (aged <=60).
1. Genetic factors that may interact with the environmental and lifestyle factors are likely to be more important at younger ages and the combined effects will be easier to detect in such a group.
2. Screening is relatively uncommon below age 60 so that the large majority of cases are symptomatic and reflect the more aggressive forms of the disease.
To date we have conducted preliminary analyses on an initial dataset and these analyses have suggested several associations. A much larger study is required, however, to confirm these associations and to examine interactions between factors in detail which we are currently establishing.
Among the environmental and lifestyle factors that we are focussing on are factors including sexual activity, radiation exposure, sunlight exposure, body shape and BMI, scalp hair recession and diet.
Among the dietary factors a number of specific components of diet have been suggested to influence prostate cancer risk. For example, it has been suggested that total energy intake and/or saturated animal fats may increase risk whereas selenium and other micronutrients may reduce risk.
For a number of other specific foods, further interesting relationships have been suggested but confounding by other dietary habits may still occur unless large sample sizes are available to allow statistical adjustment to be made for these possible effects.
The purposes of this study are therefore to extend our study collection to over 2000 cases and 2000 controls (men of a similar age by without prostate cancer) to allow more detailed analyses of both genetic and environmental risk factors for eary onset prostate cancer (age <=60).
Project commenced
June 2006
Length of project
3 years
Amount Supported
£102,000
