Events & Groups:
Clearview News Wire
Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Agent Orange exposure linked to doubled risk of prostate cancer
Last Updated: 2008-11-10 8:00:39 -0400 (Reuters Health)November 11, 2008
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A study of Vietnam War era veterans shows that exposure to Agent Orange is associated with a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer, earlier disease onset, and more aggressive features."Consideration should be made to classify this group of individuals as 'high risk', just like men of African-American heritage and men with a family history of prostate cancer," Dr. Karim Chamie, from the University of California Davis, Sacramento, and colleagues conclude.
As reported in the November 1st issue of Cancer, prior research has established a link between Agent Orange exposure and the development of various soft tissue malignancies. The apparent association with prostate cancer, however, was relatively weak, but this may have been because the studies were conducted nearly a decade ago at a point when many of the veterans had not reached an age when prostate cancer is common.
The current investigation, by contrast, involved men who were entering their 60s and, therefore, had an inherently higher risk of prostate cancer. The study included 6214 veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange from 1962 to 1971 and 6930 veterans who were not exposed to the defoliant. The subjects were followed from 1998 to 2006.
Among the exposed group, 239 men were identified with prostate cancer, compared with 124 cases among the unexposed men, for an odds ratio of 2.19. On average, prostate cancer developed 407 months after Agent Orange exposure, the report indicates.
Agent Orange exposure was associated with a younger age at prostate cancer diagnosis (59.7 vs. 62.2 years), a higher prevalence of Gleason scores 8 to 10 (21.8% vs. 10.5%), and higher rate of metastatic disease at presentation (13.4% vs. 4%).
On multivariate analysis, Agent Orange exposure was found to be the strongest predictor of both developing prostate cancer and of high-grade and metastatic disease on presentation, the authors note.
"The current findings support aggressively screening these veterans for prostate cancer in the hopes of detecting high-risk cancers before metastases develop," the authors state. "The expansion of benefits and screening programs will place further pressures on the VA healthcare system given the current level of budgetary appropriations."
Cancer 2008;113:2464-2470.
Other Articles:
- February 16, 2010
- Occupation a key factor in men's lung cancer risk
- February 15, 2010
- Pricey scans have no impact in breast cancer: study
- February 11, 2010
- Researchers find sex-specific lung cancer genes
- February 10, 2010
- Even third-hand smoke carries carcinogens
- February 8, 2010
- Men who eat soy may have lower lung cancer risk
- February 8, 2010
- Well-being similar after total or partial hysterectomy
- February 5, 2010
- Medicare cuts damage cancer care, group finds
- February 5, 2010
- Hormone replacement tied to lower colon cancer risk
- February 2, 2010
- Study weighs benefits of transplants for leukemia
- February 1, 2010
- Cancer study backs Herceptin with chemo
- January 26, 2010
- Alternative prostate cancer vaccine shows promise
- January 25, 2010
- Project seeks genetic basis of childhood cancer
- January 25, 2010
- Gene discovery may help guide breast cancer care
- January 20, 2010
- Deadly brain cancer not a single disease
- January 20, 2010
- Age important in hereditary pancreatic cancer risk