TLDR Using finasteride or dutasteride does not increase the risk of male breast cancer.
The study, which included 339 male breast cancer cases and 6,780 controls from a population of men aged 40-85 years in the United States between 2001-2009, found no significant association between the use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs), finasteride and dutasteride, and the risk of developing male breast cancer. Rate ratios (RR) for breast cancer with 5ARI exposure were not significant for various exposure assessment periods, including ≥1 year (RR 0.70), ≥2 years (RR 0.59), and ≥3 years (RR 0.75), as well as for each subsequent 180 days (RR 1.02) and 365 days (RR 1.03) of cumulative therapy. The study concluded that the risk of breast cancer should not affect the decision to prescribe 5ARI therapy for other conditions.
152 citations,
October 2010 in “Archives of Dermatology” Finasteride helps hair growth but may cause sexual side effects.
1054 citations,
February 1998 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Finasteride reduces urinary issues and surgery need in men with enlarged prostates by over 50%.
19 citations,
April 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Dutasteride works better than finasteride for hair loss, with both being safe to use.
January 2015 in “프로그램북(구 초록집)” Dutasteride is effective and safe for treating common hair loss, and it's more potent than finasteride, leading to better hair growth and thickness.
32 citations,
May 2013 in “The Journal of Urology” Using finasteride or dutasteride does not increase the risk of male breast cancer.
215 citations,
November 2006 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Dutasteride more effective for hair growth, but has more side effects than finasteride.
26 citations,
June 2005 in “Journal of Molecular Endocrinology” Dutasteride is more efficient than finasteride, but individual results vary.
60 citations,
December 1998 in “Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics” Both drugs lower DHT levels, with GI198745 being more effective.
