Risk of prostate cancer following a vasectomy.

Abstract

This study seeks to answer a PICO question, whether "In adult males having a vasectomy increases the risk of developing Prostate Cancer?" Population consists of adult males; intervention is Vasectomy whilst the comparison is with males who did not undergo vasectomy and the outcome is the possible link between the two. As a result we seek to identify any possible association between Prostate Cancer and Vasectomy. To answer this question, previous studies on the subject were located and critically examined. Twenty two articles were found on the subject from three different databases: PubMed, CINAHL and Academic Search Complete from May 1990 to date. These were analyzed with the help of Critical Appraisal Sills Programme tools. We included all articles which covered the two variables and excluded those which were duplicated studies using only the recent study or those studies that used other variables with the two in question. Of the twenty two articles reviewed, twelve showed a negative association between Prostate Cancer and Vasectomy while the remaining nine showed that there was an increase in risk between the two. The overall findings resulted to be inconclusive due to numerous biases identified in the methods of the studies reviewed. Furthermore, the current position of the National Cancer Institute and the American Urological Association is that there is no association whatsoever since no reasonable biological association has been found between the two. Consequently more research on the subject is required to determine if any possible association exists. Moreover no studies on the subject have been performed in Malta and it would be useful to know if any possible association could be present between the two variables due to an increase in vasectomy locally and for this reason further research is recommended locally.