Sexually Transmitted Infections and Prostate Cancer among Men in the U.S. Military

• Published in: Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention Vol. 18; no. 10; pp. 2665 - 2671
• Main Authors: Dennis, Leslie K., Coughlin, Julie A., McKinnon, Brittany C., Wells, Timothy S., Gaydos, Charlotte A., Hamsikova, Eva, Gray, Gregory C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Association for Cancer Research 01.10.2009
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Chlamydia; Chlamydia Infections - epidemiology; Cohort Studies; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; General aspects; Herpes Simplex - epidemiology; HPV infection; HSV-2 infection; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Military Personnel; Papillomavirus Infections - epidemiology; prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - blood; Prostatic Neoplasms - epidemiology; Prostatic Neoplasms - virology; Risk Factors; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - blood; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - virology; sexually transmitted infections; Tumors; United States; United States; Human; Urinary system disease; Prostate disease; Male; Military environment; Malignant tumor; Infection; Cancerology; Sexually transmitted disease; Adult; Male genital diseases; Prostate cancer; Cancer; Military
• ISSN: 1055-9965; 1538-7755; 1538-7755
• DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-1167

Studies of self-reported sexually transmitted infections (STI) suggesting an association with prostate cancer may reflect underreporting of such infections among nondiseased subjects. To reduce such bias, we studied archived sera in a cohort of U.S. military personnel known to have high rates of both STIs and prostate cancer. Using a nested case-control design, serum samples from 534 men who served on active duty between September 1, 1993 and September 1, 2003 were examined. Controls were individually matched to cases based on date of serum collection, date of birth, branch of service, military rank, marital status, and race. Each of the 267 case-control pairs had two serum samples: a recent serum sample, taken ∼1 year before the case's prostate cancer diagnosis, and an earlier serum sample, taken ∼8 years before diagnosis. Each serum specimen was studied for antibodies against human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), and Chlamydia trachomatis. Logistic regression accounted for matching and potential confounding factors. Study data indicated no association between prostate cancer and serologic evidence of infections just before the reference date. However, a statistically significant association between prostate cancer and serologic evidence of HSV-2 infection was detected in the earlier sample (odds ratio, 1.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-2.44). The strength of this association increased when analyses were restricted to sera collected at least 60 months before diagnosis (odds ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-3.29; 204 pairs). If this association is causal, then our findings would suggest a long latency period for prostate cancer development after HSV-2 infection. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(10):2665–71)