Male Pattern Baldness in Relation to Prostate Cancer-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Analysis in the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study

January 2016 in “ American Journal of Epidemiology ”

Cindy Ke Zhou, Paul H. Levine, Sean D. Cleary, Heather J. Hoffman, Barry I. Graubard, Michael B. Cook

male pattern baldness prostate cancer baldness pathophysiology MPB

TLDR Men with male pattern baldness have a higher risk of dying from prostate cancer.

The study analyzed data from 4,316 men over a median follow-up period of 21 years and found that male pattern baldness was associated with a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality. Any degree of baldness was linked to a 56% higher risk, while moderate baldness was associated with an 83% higher risk of fatal prostate cancer. The study did not find a significant link between baldness and all-cause mortality. These results suggest a potential shared pathophysiology between male pattern baldness and prostate cancer, but baldness should not be used as a criterion for prostate cancer screening. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and assess any additional predictive value.

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Research cited in this study

12 / 12 results

Relationship Between Male Pattern Baldness and the Risk of Aggressive Prostate Cancer: An Analysis of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial

research Relationship Between Male Pattern Baldness and the Risk of Aggressive Prostate Cancer: An Analysis of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial

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research Androgenetic Alopecia and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Vertex pattern hair loss linked to higher prostate cancer risk.

research Relationship of Early-Onset Baldness to Prostate Cancer in African-American Men

21 citations, March 2013 in “Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention”

Early-onset baldness is linked to a higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer in African-American men, especially before age 60.

research Androgenetic Alopecia at Various Ages and Prostate Cancer Risk in an Equal-Access Multiethnic Case-Control Series of Veterans

12 citations, March 2013 in “Cancer Causes & Control”

Early balding, especially frontal, increases prostate cancer risk; more research needed.

research Age-Dependent Associations Between Androgenetic Alopecia and Prostate Cancer Risk

17 citations, February 2013 in “Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention”

Early balding at 40 increases prostate cancer risk.

research Male Pattern Baldness and Its Association with Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis

26 citations, January 2013 in “BMJ Open”

Severe baldness on the top of the head is linked to a higher chance of heart disease, especially in men under 60.

research Male Pattern Baldness and the Risk of Prostate Cancer

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Men who experienced baldness at age 20 may have double the risk of getting prostate cancer.

research Androgenetic Alopecia and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Men and Women: A Comparative Study

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research Androgenic Alopecia Is Not Useful as an Indicator of Men at High Risk of Prostate Cancer

28 citations, June 2010 in “European Journal of Cancer”

Baldness at age 40 is not linked to a higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

research Male Pattern Baldness and Prostate Cancer Risk in a Population-Based Case-Control Study

29 citations, March 2010 in “Cancer epidemiology”

Men who start losing hair at age 30 may have a lower risk of prostate cancer.

research Baldness, Benign Prostate Hyperplasia, Prostate Cancer, and Androgen Levels

30 citations, January 2008 in “The Aging Male”

The study found no link between baldness patterns and androgen levels in men with benign prostate enlargement or prostate cancer.

research Androgenetic Alopecia and Prostate Cancer: Findings from an Australian Case-Control Study

21 citations, June 2002 in “PubMed”

The conclusion is that there might be a link between certain types of baldness and prostate cancer, which could be due to shared hormonal pathways.

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