title: Higher Dihydrotestosterone Is Associated with the Incidence of Lung Cancer in Older Men.
abstract: Advancing age is associated with increased cancer incidence, but the role of sex hormones as risk predictors for common cancers in older men remains uncertain. This study was performed to assess associations of testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estradiol (E2), with incident prostate, lung and colorectal cancer in community-dwelling older men. Plasma T, DHT and E2 were assayed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry between 2001 and 2004 in 3690 men. Cancer outcomes until 20 June 2013 were ascertained using data linkage. Analyses were performed using proportional hazards competing-risks models, and adjustments were made for potential confounding factors including smoking status. Results are expressed as subhazard ratios (SHR). There were 348, 107 and 137 cases of prostate, lung and colorectal cancers respectively during a median of 9.1-year follow-up. Mean T was comparable in current and non-smokers, whilst mean DHT was lower in ex- and current smokers compared to non-smokers. After adjusting for confounders including smoking, higher T or DHT was associated with an increased incidence of lung cancer (SHR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.06-1.60; p = 0.012 per 1 SD increase in T and SHR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.08-1.54; p = 0.004 for DHT). Sex hormones were not associated with prostate or colorectal cancer. In older men, higher T or DHT predict increased incidence of lung cancer over the next decade. Sex hormones are not associated with incident prostate or colorectal cancer. Further studies are warranted to determine if similar associations of sex hormones with lung cancer are present in other populations and to investigate potential underlying mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. yi.chan@uwa.edu.au.|Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. yi.chan@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Yi X
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2062-1659
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Helman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alfonso
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.|Pathwest Laboratory Medicine, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: S A Paul
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chubb
authors.affiliation: ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Handelsman
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: P Gerry
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Fegan
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.|Department of Neurology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Graeme J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hankey
authors.affiliation: Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.|Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Golledge
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.|Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flicker
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. bu.yeap@uwa.edu.au.|Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. bu.yeap@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Bu B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Yeap
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol