Not your daddy’s cancer scare.
Male cancer cases are rising at a staggering rate, with 19 million men expected to be diagnosed by 2050, and the number of men who die from cancer is increasing 93%.
Now, research points to a potential link between one devastating reproductive condition and increased chances of developing colorectal or thyroid cancers.
Fertility issues like lower sperm count have been associated with a higher risk of several health conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer of reproductive organs like the testicles and prostate.
A study from Lund University in Sweden took a closer look at the connection between male infertility and cancer risk, finding that men with severely reduced fertility are more likely to develop non-reproductive cancer.
Analyzing data from over 1.1 million men who had children, the researchers found that 14,540 became fathers with the help of assisted reproduction technology used to treat severe male infertility.
The men who had severe male infertility had almost twice the risk of developing colorectal cancer and three times the risk of thyroid cancer compared with men who became fathers naturally.
“It has previously been found that men with severely reduced fertility are at increased risk of developing testicular and prostate cancer,” said research project participant Michael Kitlinski.
“That is why we wanted to investigate whether there is also a link to other forms of cancer,” he added.
And reproductive issues like quantity and quality of sperm could be linked back to genetics.
“One theory is that if something goes wrong at the genetic level — which can manifest as reduced sperm quality — other systems in the body may also be affected, increasing the risk of disease,” said Angel Elenkov, a researcher at Lund University.
In prior studies, both infertile men and their relatives were observed to have a higher cancer risk, suggesting a potential genetic underpinning.
Meanwhile, 1 in 10 couples struggle to get pregnant within a year, which is the clinical definition of infertility.
With a general decline in male fertility and sperm counts in Western countries, declining by almost 60% globally since 1973, multiple factors can contribute.
How genes are regulated and influenced by the environment and lifestyle, as well as lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, are linked to poorer sperm quality.
As cancer rates are on the rise, especially cases of colorectal cancer among younger people, these findings are increasing the discussion around whether male fertility can serve as an early warning sign for general health.
“Most men who undergo fertility testing are between 30 and 35 years old,” said Elenkov. “The aim is to help them become fathers, and there is no subsequent follow-up on their health.”
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