A protein hormone known as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been linked with an elevated risk of prostate cancer, according to an international team of researchers.
The study looked at data from 12 previous reports that investigated how blood concentration affected a mans chances of developing the cancer.
After analyzing findings from the blood samples of 8,900 men more than one-third of whom had prostate cancer the scientists determined that higher levels of IGF-1 were linked to a greater likelihood of developing the illness.
Lead researcher Andy Roddam of the University of Oxford told Bloomberg that the findings could lead to future treatments, as well as suggestions about how men can make changes in their lives to help prevent prostate cancer.
“There has been some suggestion that IGF-1 levels are related to lifestyle and dietary factors,” he explained. “These relationships need further work to understand them better.”
Men who are concerned about their prostate health may also be interested in taking natural supplements to lower PSA levels. PSA is a protein that is produced by the cells of the prostate gland.