More and more men are turning to Testosterone replacement therapy. Male sex hormones, or androgens, slowly begin to decline in men around the age of 30. Common symptoms of low testosterone include decreased energy, low mood, low libido, decreased mood, and lack of motivation. For many men seeking testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), these symptoms begin to take over their quality of life.

One common question that presents itself from men considering TRT is “Does testosterone replacement therapy cause prostate cancer?”

Short answer….no.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death among men. Each year, there is an estimated 1.6 million new cases of prostate cancer. Of the existing cases, about 366,000 men die of prostate cancer2.

One of the major risk factors that have been identified in the development of prostate cancer is the level of testosterone. In normal male function, androgens promote the development of the prostate gland after puberty. In adult males, androgens continue to influence the growth of the prostate.

The last decade, there have been some well-designed studies showing no association between high levels of testosterone and prostate cancer. In 2006, a study looking at the prevalence of prostate cancer in hypogonadal men showed cancer detection in 21% of men who had testosterone levels of 250 ng/dL or less. This was compared to 12% of men who had testosterone levels greater than 250 ng/dL7.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Men

If you sift through the literature, there is little available data to suggest there is an increased risk of prostate cancer in men undergoing TRT.

In 2014, a prospective study consisting of 3 cohorts of men was examined. There was a total of 1023 hypogonadal men being treated with TRT who had PSA’s < 4ug/. The average follow-up was 5 years and upon review, the incidence of prostate cancer was lower in the men treated with TRT. The prostate cancer incidence was 2.3% (n = 6/261) in group 1 and 1.5% (n = 5/340) in group 2. There were no cases of prostate cancer in group 34.

In 2003 there was a review of 40 prospective studies involving TRT in men without prostate cancer, and no study showed an association between TRT and risk of prostate cancer5. In 2005, a meta-analysis of 19 placebo-controlled studies, consisting of 651 men in the TRT group and 433 men in the placebo group, showed no significant increase in Prostate Cancer6.

TRT is a well-established intervention for decreased testosterone levels. Men who undergo testosterone replacement therapy benefit from the reversal of the effects of testosterone insufficiency. Others even believe that TRT gives them a youthful vigor.

Seeking a Men's Health Clinic in Toronto? If you are looking for TRT Therapy in Toronto contact Arv Buttar (Nurse Practitioner) at info@healthbyarv.com.

Arv Buttar is a Family Nurse Practitioner with a specialty in Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Toronto. Her Clinic is located in downtown Toronto. It is easily accessible to the surrounding GTA (Brampton, Mississauga, Burlington, Oakville, Etobicoke, North York, Richmond Hill, Milton, Markham, Barrie, Newmarket, Scarborough)

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