Vasectomized men were no more likely to have prostate cancer than those who had not had a vasectomy. Furthermore, according to the study's authors, "Adjustment for social class, geographic region, religious affiliation, and a family history of prostate cancer, had little effect on the relative risk of prostate cancer from vasectomy." The study also found that there was no increased risk of prostate cancer among men who had vasectomies 25 or more years before they were interviewed.

"Since vasectomy is so common in New Zealand and all new prostate cancers there must be reported to its National Cancer Registry, that's where you would expect to find a link between the two, if one exists" said Steven Kaufman, M.D., of NICHD's Contraception and Reproductive Health Branch. "Also, although the study was more than large enough to detect an increased prostate cancer risk associated with vasectomy, none was found."

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Contact: Susan Marsiglia or Bob Bock
rb96a@nih.gov
301-496-5133
NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
18-Jun-2002