Risk: Vasectomy & Prostate Cancer?

My wife informed me that a family friend has recently had a vasectomy after he and his wife pumped out three kids in three years. Now this got me think for one particular reason.

I am the forth of eight children and my father who was recently diagnosed, treated and cleared with prostate cancer had a vasectomy in 1994. I pondered today, perhaps there was a link. Because to my knowledge the tubes are tied but you still produce sperm, they just can't go anywhere. Could this be a problem?

I started searching....

There have been many studies on the risks involved with vasectomy & yes there is a link. But the link has yet to be identified and therefore written off as inconclusive & or inconsistent.

The link that was identified is that men who have had a vasectomy are more likely to get the regular screenings for prostate cancer and therefore are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This in itself appears inconsistant because the laws of probability are influenced by too many unappropriate factors like who gets screened and who doesn't.

Some interesting info from The Association Between Vasectomy and Prostate Cancer

Some studies have shown that men who have had a vasectomy are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. These studies were done by looking back at the lives of men who had prostate cancer and determining whether they had previously had a vasectomy or not. They showed that an association between having a vasectomy and prostate cancer did exist, but they could not explain why this existed.

Men with prior vasectomies have more contact with their urologist than average men and are more likely to get PSA testing at the appropriate age. This increases their chances of having prostate cancer detected simply because they are being tested for it.
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What it does not mean is that men with vasectomies necessarily actually have more prostate cancer, just that they are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer (in other words, more likely that their prostate cancer will be found).

This last part is what really pricked my attention

Additionally, the major urological and cancer organizations no longer suggest that physicians discuss the risk of prostate cancer with men who are thinking about vasectomy.

My conclusion is because the link cannot be identified and the reason for the risk inconclusive there must be no risk at all.

However after reading Vasectomy: A Prostate Cancer Risk?

We probably won't have a definitive answer to the vasectomy/prostate cancer question before 2015 when we get results of the National Cancer Institute's Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, which began in 1992 and is evaluating risk factors for all these disease. In the meantime, I wouldn't worry too much about the risk vasectomy may pose.

I get the feeling that people aren't supposed to care about the risk. They say African Americans are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer than white men! Why?>
Instead of pointing at a real problem, I see specialist just waving you in the opposite direction in a generalised manner. Why?> Because they don't have the answer!

So, people may accuse me of taking information out of context and only taking information that suites me and that is fine. I went looking for an answer and all I managed to find was a "..... prostate cancer? Don't worry about it!"


[edit on 28/3/10 by spearhead]

An interesting topic - not something I have ever thought about so thanks for bringing it to focus.

I will be interested in the comments this brings - I can‘t offer any insight.... hopefully some others will and it will get some good discussion.

Tonsillectomies and hysterectomies used to be the special of the day so to speak. Now the medical community or should I say "establishment" has done an about face. These are just two examples. There is nothing natural about a vasectomy and it probably has unknown effects we'll find out years down the road after millions of men have been encourage to have it done. I mean come on people.......let's face it.......from treating cancer, to CT scans and radiation, to cholesterol causes heart disease, to butter is bad for you wait no it's good for you................the medical establishment doesn't know its arse from its elbow. Especially nowadays. Cancer treatment is a COMPLETE AND UTTER FAILURE! Has been since Nixon waged war on it decades ago. Yet somehow............people have been curing themselves of cancer for hundreds of years with safe, nontoxic, cheap remedies. The medical industry is a complete and utter racket as it stands nowadays. VZP in three........two one........LOL.

reply to post by spearhead

Have a look at iodine deficiency and prostate health...
...I think that's were the real risk is.

Big business is making a fortune from prostate and breast cancer

Several years ago, I read an interview with a doctor who specialised in prostate cancer

His advice was to always empty the bladder before having sex

reply to post by Dock9


Interesting...

reply to post by troubleshooter


Did a bit of a search in relation to iodine and prostate cancer. Couldn't find too much info though iodine deficiency is believed to be a major factory in mental retardation, thyroid problems and physical growth complications in children. There have been many studies into the relation between iodine and cancer but many are now 'pre-dated'.

I'm not interested in the main cause of prostate cancer, how to cure it or how to prevent it. My concern is, does vasectomy directly increase your risk of prostate cancer?

From what i've read so far, i'm inclined to say yes it does...

...feel free to rebuke.

I would also like to hear from anyone who has had prostate cancer.