London - Men who are bald at 45 are more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than those who keep their hair, research has found.
Those who lose their hair at the front and have moderate thinning on the crown were 40 percent more likely to develop a fast-growing tumour, compared to men with no baldness at all.
Scientists at the National Cancer Institute in the US said both prostate cancer and male pattern baldness could be caused by higher levels of male sex hormones, called androgens.
Lead author of the research Michael Cook said: ‘Our study found an increased risk for aggressive prostate cancer only in men with a very specific pattern of hair loss. But we saw no increased risk for any form of prostate cancer in men with other patterns.’
The study – which was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology – looked at 39 070 men aged between 55 and 74, and asked them to recall what their hair loss patterns were like at the age of 45. During the follow up, 1 138 prostate cancer cases were diagnosed, 51 percent of which were aggressive.
The cancer was defined as aggressive if it scored seven or more on the Gleason scale – which is used to evaluate the prognosis of prostate cancer sufferers and normally goes from one to ten.
The results could help identify men who may be at increased risk of developing an aggressive form of the disease, if they are backed up by further research.
But Dr Cook added: “While our data show a strong possibility for a link between the development of baldness and aggressive prostate cancer, it’s too soon to apply these findings to patient care.”
His team are currently conducting two further studies on the topic, including one which uses a skin assessment to judge baldness rather than relying on the memory of their subjects.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with over 40 000 new cases diagnosed every year. However the disease usually develops slowly, with symptoms often hidden for years.
The most recent findings support a previous study by the Cancer Council of Victoria, Australia, which said higher levels of the androgen testosterone could trigger baldness, as well as the development of cancerous cells. - Daily Mail