Male Pattern Baldness And Risk Of Prostate Cancer – Is There A Link?

Male Pattern Baldness And Risk Of Prostate Cancer – Is There A Link?

Very few men relish the thought of their hair deliberately falling out as they age. 

Up to 20% of men beginning already in their twenties will have male pattern baldness with the rate increasing among men with each decade of life.

Whether a man tries to fight his baldness in every way he can or embraces it with pride, what is known is the possibility of a potential connection between male pattern baldness and prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in men.  It occurs more frequently in the developed world but is the most common cancer in men in 84 countries.

A recent study found that male pattern baldness appears to be a strong and independent risk factor for prostate cancer. 

Androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in men.  More than 50% of all men over the age of 50 will be affected by male pattern baldness to some extent.

The cause of baldness in men usually is a family history of baldness or the male sex hormones call androgens.  Androgen is a Greek word meaning “man-maker” which definitely rings true for the male species.

The most potent androgen is testosterone which is responsible for deepening a man’s voice, increasing his muscle mass, and strengthening his bones.

The relationship between prostate cancer and male pattern baldness is the fact that prostate cancer is a hormone-dependent disease and most hair loss in men is caused by androgenic alopecia due to the hormones of androgens. 

What are known risk factors for prostate cancer and male pattern baldness is aging of men and androgens, with androgens implicated in the development of both conditions.

It appears that male pattern baldness could be a strong independent risk factor for prostate cancer but the study did state that further research is necessary before it can be validated as such.

Dr. David Samadi | Robotic Prostate Surgeon
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ProstateCancer911.com is a resource created by Dr. David Samadi in order to raise awareness and get more men to receive prostate cancer treatment. The information is strictly general and you should always discuss with your doctor issues concerning your health.

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