Cancer HorizonsAll NewsBlogsCaregivingDiet and ExerciseFinancialPsychosocialRecipesSexual HealthSide EffectSponsoredSurvivorship
All VideosCURE ConnectionsCURE Expert Connections®CURE Speaking OutCURE TVEducated Patient Sound BitesOn Demand: Webinars
Conference Coverage Conference Listing
CURE AdventuresCURE AwardsEducated Patient In Person EducationEducated Patient Virtual Education
Advocacy GroupsArt GalleryClinical Trial CornerHeal®PartnersPodcastsPublicationsShare Your Story
Subscribe
Blood CancersBlood CancersBlood CancersBlood Cancers
Brain Cancer
Breast CancerBreast Cancer
Childhood Cancers
Gastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal Cancers
Genitourinary CancersGenitourinary CancersGenitourinary CancersGenitourinary Cancers
Gynecologic CancerGynecologic CancerGynecologic Cancer
Head & Neck Cancer
LeukemiaLeukemiaLeukemia
Lung Cancer
LymphomaLymphomaLymphomaLymphoma
Rare CancersRare Cancers
Sarcoma
Skin Cancer/Melanoma
Thyroid Cancer
Spotlight -
  • Blogs
  • Breast Cancer Webinar Series
  • Cancer Horizons
  • Clinical Trial Corner
  • Heal®
  • Publications
  • Videos
Blood CancersBlood CancersBlood CancersBlood Cancers
Brain Cancer
Breast CancerBreast Cancer
Childhood Cancers
Gastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal CancersGastrointestinal Cancers
Genitourinary CancersGenitourinary CancersGenitourinary CancersGenitourinary Cancers
Gynecologic CancerGynecologic CancerGynecologic Cancer
Head & Neck Cancer
LeukemiaLeukemiaLeukemia
Lung Cancer
LymphomaLymphomaLymphomaLymphoma
Rare CancersRare Cancers
Sarcoma
Skin Cancer/Melanoma
Thyroid Cancer
    • Subscribe
Advertisement

Article

December 5, 2019

Exploring the Link Between Infertility and Prostate Cancer

Author(s):

Tom Castles

New research suggests men with infertility could face a 30% to 60% higher risk of prostate cancer.

Men with infertility who undergo assisted reproduction are at increased risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age, according to new research published in the British Medical Journal.

Results were pulled from a study conducted in Sweden between 1994 and 2014. Researchers included data from more than 1.1 million fathers, who were grouped according to their fertility status by mode of conception — 20,618 by in vitro fertilization (IVF), 14,882 by intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and 1,145,990 by natural conception.

Fathers who used ICSI had a 60% higher risk and those who used IVF had a 30% higher risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer than men who conceived naturally. Their increased risk was most pronounced before the age of 55.

Despite the fact that men who underwent assisted reproduction saw an increased risk, it is important to note that overall prostate cancer risk remained below half of one percent across the study’s three groups. While men who conceived naturally were diagnosed at a rate of 0.28%, men who conceived by ICSI were diagnosed at a rate of 0.42%, and 0.37% of men who conceived through IVF received diagnoses.

It’s also important to note that this is not the first study to investigate a link between prostate cancer and infertility. Three American studies have reported an increased risk of prostate cancer in men with impaired semen quality, corroborating evidence found in this study in the BMJ.

However, three Scandinavian studies and one American study indicated a lower risk of prostate cancer in childless men, and these findings were confirmed in a follow up meta-analysis that summarized evidence from 10 relevant studies. Still other research found no discernible relation between fatherhood and the risk of prostate cancer.

Still, evidence from this study in the BMJ is noteworthy because of its large sample size, which contains virtually all men who fathered a child in Sweden over the course of 20 years.

“For many people having children is an important aspect of life. Yet as many as 15 to 20% of all couples struggle to conceive naturally,” wrote Yahia Al-Jebari, the study’s lead author, in an accompanying editorial statement. “One of the solutions available for couples is to go through assisted reproduction. It is understandable that healthcare providers and patients only focus on what they consider to be the main aim — to have a baby. However, the struggle to conceive has been shown to be associated with a multitude of future morbidities among men, ranging from metabolic syndrome to autoimmune disease.”

Because of the strength of their findings, the authors wrote that they believe that the risk of prostate cancer is “inherent to male fertility itself, regardless of the fertility treatment type.” As a result, preventative measures should be extended from only men who are undergoing assisted reproduction to all men who are experiencing infertility.

Newsletter

Stay up to date on cancer updates, research and education

Subscribe Now!
Related Videos
Image of Dr. with text.
Image of thumbnail.
Image of Dr. Deville.
Image of Doctor.
Image of Dr. Tagawa.
Dr. Curtiland Deville Jr. discusses the importance of crafting an individualized treatment plan for patients with prostate cancer.
Use of NeuroSAFE to guide nerve sparing during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy improved patient-reported erectile function.
Dr. Chandler Park, a medical oncologist of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, at the Norton Healthcare Institute, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Dr. Guru Sonpavde emphasized the importance of better understanding how genetic mutations influence the treatment of cancer care, particularly GU cancers.
Dr. Park sat down for an interview with CURE® to discuss the key takeaways from the 2025 Annual ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
Related Content
Advertisement
Image of prostate model.
June 27th 2025

June Prostate Cancer Highlights: Top 5 Updates Patients Should Know

Ryan Scott
June brought major prostate cancer updates, and CURE is sharing the latest FDA approvals, label expansions, and emerging data on the role of AI in care.
Image of CURE's Cancer Horizons podcast logo: a white microphone with yellow noise lines. Highlights from the 2024 ASCO gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancer conferences.
January 30th 2024

Highlights from the Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary Cancer Conferences

Alex Biese Brielle Benyon
Here are some of the top stories from the recent Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium as well as the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
Image of Dr. Ravi, with text,
June 26th 2025

Making Prostate Cancer Easier to Understand for Newly Diagnosed Patients

Ryan Scott
Dr. Ravi Munver explained that, for patients who are recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is important to explore treatment option with their care.
CURE Cancer Horizons podcast logo
January 29th 2024

Prostate Cancer Headlines, CAR-T Warnings and Laughter Therapy

Alex Biese Brielle Benyon
CURE® editors discuss last week’s biggest cancer headlines, from Dexter Scott King’s death to the potential of laughter therapy to boost quality of life.
Image of smiley face.
June 20th 2025

Radiation and Resilience: Laughing Through the Hardest Days

Dave Davison
It’s a bad day when a doctor says you have cancer. It’s a worse day when he says it’s stage prostate cancer with a metastatic lesion.
FDA approves updated labeling for Talzenna plus Xtandi in men with HRR gene-mutated metastatic prostate cancer: © stock.adobe.com.
June 19th 2025

FDA Updates Talzenna-Xtandi Label for HRR-Mutated Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Spencer Feldman
FDA approves updated labeling for Talzenna plus Xtandi in men with HRR gene-mutated metastatic prostate cancer, showing a 14-month survival benefit.
Related Content
Advertisement
Image of prostate model.
June 27th 2025

June Prostate Cancer Highlights: Top 5 Updates Patients Should Know

Ryan Scott
June brought major prostate cancer updates, and CURE is sharing the latest FDA approvals, label expansions, and emerging data on the role of AI in care.
Image of CURE's Cancer Horizons podcast logo: a white microphone with yellow noise lines. Highlights from the 2024 ASCO gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancer conferences.
January 30th 2024

Highlights from the Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary Cancer Conferences

Alex Biese Brielle Benyon
Here are some of the top stories from the recent Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium as well as the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
Image of Dr. Ravi, with text,
June 26th 2025

Making Prostate Cancer Easier to Understand for Newly Diagnosed Patients

Ryan Scott
Dr. Ravi Munver explained that, for patients who are recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is important to explore treatment option with their care.
CURE Cancer Horizons podcast logo
January 29th 2024

Prostate Cancer Headlines, CAR-T Warnings and Laughter Therapy

Alex Biese Brielle Benyon
CURE® editors discuss last week’s biggest cancer headlines, from Dexter Scott King’s death to the potential of laughter therapy to boost quality of life.
Image of smiley face.
June 20th 2025

Radiation and Resilience: Laughing Through the Hardest Days

Dave Davison
It’s a bad day when a doctor says you have cancer. It’s a worse day when he says it’s stage prostate cancer with a metastatic lesion.
FDA approves updated labeling for Talzenna plus Xtandi in men with HRR gene-mutated metastatic prostate cancer: © stock.adobe.com.
June 19th 2025

FDA Updates Talzenna-Xtandi Label for HRR-Mutated Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Spencer Feldman
FDA approves updated labeling for Talzenna plus Xtandi in men with HRR gene-mutated metastatic prostate cancer, showing a 14-month survival benefit.
About Us
Advertise / Support
Editorial Board
Contact Us
CancerNetwork.com
TargetedOnc.com
OncLive.com
OncNursingNews.com
Terms & Conditions
Privacy
Do Not Sell My Information
Contact Info

2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512

609-716-7777

© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.