Increased risk of cancer in families with male infertility

In a recent study, researchers at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (United States) found a surprising trend in families with male infertility: an increased risk of certain types of cancer. This discovery could lead to a more personalized approach to cancer risk assessment, making cancer prevention more effective.

According to the National Institutes of Health, about 9% of men of reproductive age have experienced fertility problems.

We know that men who experience infertility tend to have more health problems such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, premature mortality, chronic health conditions and cancer. We wanted to examine whether family members of these men were at higher risk for these conditions.”

Joemy Ramsay, PhD, the study’s lead investigator, a researcher at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at the U.

Ramsay has a background in public health, specializing in occupational and environmental exposure. This study represents the first step in determining the relative risk levels of family members for diseases such as cancer. Ramsay explains that since family members share similar genetic factors, environments and lifestyles, it would be easier to identify other things that affect cancer risk. Once the overall risk is estimated, causative factors can be more accurately assessed in determining their role in diagnosis.

Using the Utah Population Database, one of the richest sources of genetic and public health information in the world, Ramsay and her team, which included Heidi Hanson, MS, PhD, Nicola Camp, PhD, and Myke Madsen, they looked at parents, siblings, children, and even aunts, uncles and cousins, of men diagnosed with infertility.

By observing many types of cancer at the same time, the team was able to develop an algorithm that groups similar things together. This algorithm allowed the identification of approximately 13 characteristic patterns. The patterns were based on families with similar risks of multiple cancers, rather than looking at just one type of cancer at a time.

“Both cancer and infertility are complex diseases and processes,” says Ramsay. “This method helps create similar family groups, making it easier to uncover why a family is at high risk for certain diseases over others.”

For families with male infertility, these findings may prompt additional conversations with their doctors.

“Although the link is not yet fully understood, it’s important to have these conversations with our families and bring your concerns to your medical team,” says Ramsay.

Further research is needed to continue establishing a link between male infertility and cancer risk. Understanding the reason behind a risk can ultimately lead to more personalized courses of treatment, screening and prevention.

Huntsman Cancer Institute is a leader in educating patients about how to prevent and treat cancer. For more information about genetic testing, visit the Family Cancer Assessment Clinic.

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, including P30 CA042014 and the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. The chatbots were developed in a recently completed trial funded by the Inherited Cancer Syndrome Collaborative of the Cancer Moonshot initiative.