Scientists have linked testosterone levels in men to the risk of death from cancer

An international team of scientists led by Bo Yep, a professor at the University of Western Australia, has found that low testosterone levels in men may be associated with an increased risk of cancer and death from cancer. This was reported on June 19 by The Lancet Healthy Longevity magazine.

The researchers conducted a meta-analysis of data from 11 studies that assessed cancer mortality among 26,000 men, as well as five studies involving more than 10,000 men on the risk of developing cancer.

The researchers found that men with lower concentrations of total testosterone in their blood were more likely to die from cancer compared to participants with hormone levels in the upper range. The threshold value was 8.6 nmol/l. With a testosterone level of 8.2 nmol/L, the risk of death from cancer was 18% higher.

In addition, testosterone concentrations below 7.3 nmol/l were associated with an increased risk of cancer. At the same time, the researchers did not find a relationship between the hormone level and the likelihood of prostate cancer.

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The authors paid special attention to other hormonal indicators. They found that lower levels of sex hormone binding globulin were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. A similar relationship was observed for luteinizing hormone. The researchers also found that very low concentrations of estradiol — less than 35 pmol/d — are associated with a higher risk of death from cancer.

The authors emphasized that the results do not prove a direct causal relationship between hormone levels and the development of cancer. It is claimed that additional research is needed to confirm the identified patterns, especially regarding the role of sex hormone binding globulin and luteinizing hormone.

On June 20, Science Daily magazine reported the discovery of a cancer treatment method through the excessive activity of the EXO1 gene. According to the publication, his hyperactivity damages DNA by destabilizing the genome. At the same time, the scientists clarified that under normal conditions EXO1 acts as a "molecular scissors", helping to repair damaged DNA.