Arsenic raises prostate cancer risk

Chronic exposure to arsenic increases the risk of developing prostate cancer, especially in its more ways advanced and aggressiveaccording to research led by a team from the National Epidemiology Center (CNE) of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII).

The study, published in Environmental Researchhas analyzed the presence of this toxic metalloid in the toenails of 813 men, of whom 345 were patients with recently diagnosed prostate cancer and 468healthy people who served as a control group.

The results show that men with higher concentrations of arsenic in their toenails have almost double the risk of developing prostate cancer, compared to those with lower levels.

According to the study, the increased risk is even greater in more aggressive tumors, with greater local extension or in more advanced clinical states. In this way, continued exposure to arsenic could not only influence the appearance of the disease, but also its progression towards more serious forms.

On the other hand, no evidence has been found that genetic predisposition to prostate cancer modify the association between arsenic exposure and disease risk.

Public health risk

Arsenic is present naturally in the environment, although it can also be found in drinking water, certain foods, and some industrial activities. It is known that high exposure may increase the risk of developing some types of cancerbut its impact on prostate cancer is until now the subject of scientific debate.

The findings of this study reinforce the need for maintain and strengthen surveillance and the control of arsenic in drinking water, food and the environmental environment, in order to reduce chronic exposure of the population.

According to the authors, reducing exposure to this metalloid could contribute both to reducing the incidence and the severity of the diseasetaking into account that the work points to a relationship with both parameters.

By acting as a risk factor independent of genetic predisposition, these results underline the importance of prevention strategies primary based on environmental protection and health equity.

The study is part of the MCC-Spain project and is led by the CNE of the ISCIII, and includes the researcher Esther García-Esquinas as main author. It has been carried out in collaboration with a group from the National Center for Environmental Health (CNSA) and part of the team is also part of the Network Biomedical Research Center Consortium (CIBER-ISCIII).