Scientists have identified a potential early indicator for prostate cancer after discovering that men experiencing cystitis face a sevenfold increase in their likelihood of receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis within the subsequent three-month period.
The research from Lund University reveals that this common urinary tract infection may serve as a warning signal for various urological malignancies.
The findings emerge from an extensive analysis of health records spanning more than two decades, suggesting that what doctors typically treat as a routine infection could actually herald more serious underlying conditions in male patients aged 50 and above.
One in two UK women will experience a UTI in their lifetime, versus around one in seven men, according to Click2Pharmacy.
Bladder cancer risk increased approximately 34-fold in men
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The investigation examined medical data from 3.6 million Swedish residents over 50 years old between 1997 and 2018.
Among this population, researchers identified 177,736 men and 427,821 women who had been diagnosed with acute cystitis.
The study uncovered striking correlations between UTIs and multiple cancer types. Bladder cancer risk increased approximately 34-fold in men and 30-fold in women within three months of cystitis diagnosis.
Kidney cancer likelihood rose eleven times for men and nearly eight times for women following infection. The research, published in BMJ Public Health, also found elevated risks for testicular and penile cancers in male patients.
Prostate cancer affects 55,000 British men annually and causes 12,000 deaths, yet unlike breast, bowel and cervical cancers, no systematic screening exists within the NHS.
Current diagnostic approaches rely on recognising symptoms including urinary difficulties, blood in urine, lower abdominal discomfort, back pain on one side, incomplete bladder emptying sensations, and testicular or groin lumps.
The Telegraph has launched an initiative advocating for focused screening programmes targeting high-risk groups, particularly Black men and individuals with familial disease history, who would benefit from PSA testing.
This Swedish research potentially adds another diagnostic tool, as identifying additional warning signs could facilitate earlier intervention in a disease where timely detection significantly impacts survival rates.
The researchers propose that "acute cystitis may act as a useful predictor of urogenital cancer in men and women aged 50 years and older".
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Having a UTI could hike the risk of cancer diagnosis within the subsequent three-month period
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While the cancer risk diminished over time, it persisted significantly beyond the initial three-month period.
The scientists suggest compromised urinary tract defences from cancerous or precancerous changes might increase infection susceptibility.
Additionally, some hidden urological cancers could produce symptoms resembling cystitis, potentially explaining the dramatically elevated cancer detection rates shortly after UTI diagnosis.
The authors concluded: "For clinicians, the findings indicate that acute cystitis could be a clinical marker for urogenital cancer."
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