Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Colon Cancer, Dermatology, Nature, Testosterone / 14.01.2016
Male Pattern Baldness Linked To Increased Risk of Colon Polyps
More on Colon Cancer on MedicalResearch.com
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Nana Keum, PhD
Department of Nutrition
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Boston, MA
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Keum: Male pattern baldness, the most common type of hair loss in men, is positively associated with androgens as well as IGF-1 and insulin, all of which are implicated in pathogenesis of colorectal neoplasia. Therefore, it is biologically plausible that male pattern baldness, as a marker of underlying aberration in the regulation of the aforementioned hormones, may be associated with colorectal neoplasia. In our study that examined the relationship between five male hair pattern at age 45 years (no-baldness, frontal-only-baldness, frontal-plus-mild-vertex-baldness, frontal-plus-moderate-vertex-baldness, and frontal-plus-severe-vertex-baldness) and the risk of colorectal adenoma and cancer, we found that frontal-only-baldness and frontal-plus-mild-vertex-baldness were associated with approximately 30% increased risk of colon cancer relative to no-baldness. Frontal-only-baldness was also positively associated with colorectal adenoma.
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