Prostate cancer is widespread in the United States, second only to skin cancer in prevalence among men. finasteride
Addressing the condition is often costly, and there’s no known cure.
According to a long-term study, researchers found that finasteride, a generic hormone-blocking drug typically used to treat an enlarged prostate or hair loss, can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 25 percent.
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Years of Data
The study includes data from men who enrolled between 1993 and 1997 in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT). The SWOG Cancer Research Network performed the research.
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Nearly 19,000 men enlisted in the study, making this one of the most extensive prostate cancer clinical trials ever performed.
While the 25 percent decline in risk of developing prostate cancer may seem significant, it doesn’t qualify as statistically significant.
The real value of this information is eliminating old apprehensions about the effects of finasteride on prostate cancer.
An earlier SWOG study in 2003 reported that while finasteride decreased the risk of prostate cancer, it raised the number of high-grade prostate cancers. This finding compelled the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to post a notice on the finasteride label.
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The long-term study determined that there wasn’t a statistically significant increased risk associated with finasteride. While it may have raised the number of high-grade prostate cancers, researchers said it made them easier to find.
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Why Is Treatment So Difficult?
When someone is diagnosed with prostate cancer, there’s only so much that physicians can do to manage things.
Surgery ranges anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000, while radiation can cost up to $100,000. A cancer diagnosis can
