Severe acne treatment(tetracycline) and prostate cancer linked
A research conducted by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Harvard School of Public Health suggest that constant use of tetracycline which is used to cure sever acne can increases the risk of prostate cancer. The study which started in 1989 and included 51,529 male professionals aged between 40 to 75 years. In 1992 a follow-up questionnaire was given to the people on which the study was based and asked them questions like if they have ever used tetracycline or for how much time had they used it like two months to eleven months, one to two years, two to four years or more then four years.
Only a slight percent of people had used the antibiotic(tetracycline) for more then four years and longer. These men had an adjusted 70% higher risk of prostate cancer compared with men who did not use tetracycline at all. There were a number of other factors taken into account in the study like regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, less vertex baldness, greater alcohol intake, and less milk and calcium intake. The study also concludes that no association between prostate cancer and tetracycline was found if it was used for less than four years. The research further states that the results should be viewed cautiously because not many patients used tetracycline for more then four years.
April 16th, 2008 - Posted in news and research | |
