In a recent study, scientists from The University of Warwick and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) discovered that men who have long index fingers may have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer found in men. In a given year, a total of 203,314 males will be newly diagnosed with this illness.

Ros Eeles, professor from the ICR, said that the results “show that relative finger length could be used as a simple test for prostate cancer risk, particularly in men aged under 60.”

The scientists examined more than 1,500 prostate cancer patients over a 15-year period along with more than 3,000 healthy controls. Each of the participants was asked to identify the finger length of their right hand.

The most common length pattern was a shorter index than ring finger, which was present in more than half of the subjects. Overall, men whose index fingers were longer than their ring finger were 33 percent less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. More specifically, this reduction was most prevalent in men who were under 60-years-old, as these participants were at an 87 percent decreased risk of having this illness.