Low testosterone is very common in men and can lead to hypogonadism (testosterone deficiency). Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is a common treatment, but concerns arise about its potential link to prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer affects around 2 million men. Symptoms of prostate cancer include, difficulty starting to urinate, difficulty maintaining a steady urinary stream, difficulty emptying your bladder completely, urinating too often (primarily at night), and persistent back, hip, or pelvic pain. Pain can also occur with ejaculation. If you are having any of these symptoms, be sure to discuss them with your doctor.
A significant study published in 2023, of a randomized clinical trial was conducted to determine if there was a correlation between TRT in men with hypogonadism and an increased risk of high-grade or any prostate cancer or other adverse prostate events. The randomized trial included 5,246 men (aged 45-80 years), and showed no between-group differences for the incidence of any prostate cancer, acute urinary retention, invasive surgical procedures, prostate biopsy, or new pharmacologic treatment during 14,304 person-years of follow-up. Click here to view the study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2813293
This does not mean that a man should not undergo routine prostate cancer screenings with their primary care physician. Here at Elite Testosterone Clinic, we do monitor all of our patient's Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels while undergoing treatment with us. PSA is produced by normal, as well as malignant (cancerous) cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test is a blood test that measures the level of PSA in the blood stream. In addition to prostate cancer, several benign (non-cancerous) conditions can cause a man's PSA to increase, which include benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) also known as an "enlarged prostate" and prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate). Also, various factors can cause a man's PSA level to fluctuate such as age, prostate gland size, inflammation, infection, recent prostate biopsy, and ejaculation or vigorous exercise (such as cycling) that took place within 48-72 hours prior to the PSA blood test.
If prostate cancer is suspected, you will be referred to the appropriate specialist for further investigation.
