Male Pattern Baldness and Risk of Colorectal Neoplasia

The study conducted from 1992 to 2010 with 32,782 men for cancer analysis and 29,770 men for adenoma analysis found that male pattern baldness at age 45 was associated with an increased risk of colorectal neoplasia. Men with frontal-only baldness and frontal-plus-mild-vertex baldness had a 29% and 31% increased risk of colon cancer, respectively, compared to those with no baldness. Additionally, frontal-only baldness was associated with a significant increased risk of colorectal adenoma. The study suggests a potential link between the insulin pathway and tubular adenomas in this context, rather than excess androgenicity, which is thought to connect baldness with prostate cancer. The authors note limitations such as self-reported baldness and limited racial generalizability, and they call for further research to confirm their findings and explore the underlying mechanisms.