Cannabis link to testicular cancer
Rising levels of testicular cancer have tipped off international health researchers to the risk that frequent use of cannabis may trigger the disease.
A study from the United States has shown cannabis to be a significant risk factor for the disease in several countries, including New Zealand, CNN reports.
Researchers checked the link when they realised that, since the 1950s, the incidence of testicular cancer had increased by between 3 per cent and 6 per cent in New Zealand, the US, Canada, Europe and Australia, in line with an increase in cannabis use.
Compared with the same type of cancer in non-users, the risk was at least doubled for those who used cannabis at least once a week and/or who had long- term exposure to it from adolescence.
The results also suggested that the association with cannabis use might be limited to nonseminoma, a fast-growing testicular malignancy that tends to strike younger men and accounted for about 40 per cent of all cases.
Established risk factors include a family history of the disease, undescended testes and abnormal testicular development.
The male reproductive system naturally produces a cannabinoid-like chemical that is believed to have a protective effect against cancer.
The authors speculated that cannabis use might disrupt this anti-tumour effect, which could be an explanation for the possible link.
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