Androgenetic Alopecia

Reports from St. Vincent's Hospital advance knowledge in prostate cancer risk factors

Androgenetic Alopecia Library Library Home This article was published in Biotech Business Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"The aim of this study was to examine the association of these variants with prostate cancer risk, plasma hormone levels and androgenetic alopecia. Subjects include 827 cases and 736 controls from an Australian population-based case-control study of prostate cancer. Information on prostate cancer risk factors and patterns of balding were collected. Plasma levels of testosterone, 3alpha-diol glucuronide (3alpha-diolG), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, sex hormone-binding globulin and estradiol were measured for controls. No associations with the V89L polymorphism were found. Carriers of the rarer A49T A allele were at a 60% higher risk of prostate cancer (OR=1.60; 95% CI 1.09-2.36; p=0.02) and 50% lower risk of vertex and frontal balding (p=0.03) compared with men homozygous for the more common G allele. Although we found little evidence of association between this variant and plasma levels of 5 measured androgens, circulating 3alpha-diolG levels were 34% lower in A49T A allele carriers (p <0.0001). Our study provides evidence that the SRD5A2 A49T A variant is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, lower levels of circulating 3alpha-diolG and decreased risk of baldness," wrote V.M. Hayes and colleagues, St. Vincent's Hospital.

The researchers concluded: "These findings raise important questions with respect to previous assumptions concerning hormonal influences on prostate cancer risk in ageing males."

Hayes and colleagues published their study in International Journal of Cancer (5alpha-Reductase type 2 gene variant associations with prostate cancer risk, circulating hormone levels and androgenetic alopecia. International Journal of Cancer, 2007;120(4):776-80).

For additional information, contact V.M. Hayes, St. Vincent's Hospital, Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia.

The publisher of the International Journal of Cancer can be contacted at: Wiley-Liss, Division John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA.

Keywords: Australia, Sydney, Prostate Cancer Risk Factors, Alopecia, Clinical Trial Research, Genetics, Hormones, Immunization, Oncology, Prostate Cancer, Prostate Cancer Vaccine, Prostatic Neoplasms, Vaccination.

This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.