Finasteride And Dutasteride May Reduce Melanoma Risk

A study has found that finasteride and dutasteride, drugs used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, may reduce the risk of melanoma in men with a history of prostate cancer. The study suggests that melanoma is an androgen-dependent tumor, and that androgen blockade enhances response to the melanoma vaccine. The use of finasteride and dutasteride may be associated with the decline in the risk of melanoma following prostate cancer that has been observed since 1984. The potential androgen basis of melanoma has long been hypothesized, and further research could lead to new interventions that may modulate melanoma incidence or prognosis.