Study: Hair Loss Drug Propecia (Finasteride) Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

An 18 year study of approximately 19,000 men aged 55 and older recently concluded that that the hair loss drug Propecia (finasteride) may reduce the risk of prostate cancer in some men by up to 30%.

A portion of the participants were given finasteride while the rest were given a placebo. The men given the drug had only a 10 percent rate of contracting prostate cancer while those who took the placebo had a 15 percent rate of contracting the disease.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine also determined that the ten year survival of participants diagnosed with prostate cancer was equivalent between the control and placebo groups overall (78 percent). In those with low-grade cancers the survival rate was 82 percent and in those with high-grade cancers, 73 percent.

The small excess of higher grade tumors in the men taking finasteride did not effectively translate into an increased risk of death. This finding seems to counter previous research suggesting finasteride increases the risk of dying from an aggressive form of the disease due to prostate gland shrinkage and increased sensitivity in detecting higher grade cancers.

Perhaps these findings may one day revive the practice of prescribing finasteride for the prevention of prostate cancer, saving thousands of lives annually.

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David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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Technorati Tags: hair loss, Propecia, finasteride, prostate cancer