Prostate cancer and schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the incidence of prostate cancer in individuals with schizophrenia.


METHODS
A MEDLINE search was performed for all studies of "prostate cancer" or "cancer" and "schizophrenia."


RESULTS
Five studies had age-standardized, site-specific cancer data. All five had a lower standardized incidence ratio for prostate cancer, ranging from 0.49 to 0.76. The incidence of cancer at other sites varied among the studies. Possible explanations included ascertainment bias; genetic factors; antipsychotic drug effects, either by being cancer protective or decreasing testosterone, or both; and lifestyle differences, such as prolonged hospitalization resulting in a decreased opportunity for heterosexual intercourse.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study have revealed that the incidence of prostate cancer in individuals with schizophrenia is significantly lower than expected.
Torrey
E Fuller
EF
Stanley Medical Research Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20815, USA. torreyf@stanleyresearch.org
D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*