Chronic inflammation can increase the risk of prostate cancer, study finds

April 23, 2014  19:33

Chronic inflammation – the body’s natural response to foreign substances in the body – may increase the risk of prostate cancer, Fox News reported with reference to Counsel & Heal.

Typically, inflammation is a natural, healthy response by the body’s immune system – helping to fight off infection and eliminate foreign agents.  But prolonged inflammation that occurs when no infectious substances are present can actually be harmful to the body.

In a new study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers analyzed the relationship between chronic inflammation and the risk of prostate cancer in a group of 400 men.  They examined the participants’ biopsies and prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels – a strong indicator of the presence of prostate cancer in the body.

The researchers also measured inflammation levels among participants, based on the prevalence of immune cells in the men’s tissue samples.  Of the men with prostate cancer, 86.2 percent had signs of high inflammation, compared to only 78.2 percent of men without cancer.

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