A new study finds that men who have longer index fingers than ring fingers are less likely to be at risk of prostate cancer compared to those who have the opposite finger pattern. The length of the first and third fingers is determined before birth, and it is thought to relate to the levels of sex hormones (testosterone) the baby is exposed to in the womb.
Experts believe that being exposed to less testosterone before birth helps protect against the risk of prostate cancer later in life. The thinking is that the genes that control finger length and development of sex organs are related.
Researchers collected data on the length of fingers in just over 1,500 subjects with prostate cancer as well as around 3,050 healthy controls.
Men were shown photos of hands that had different finger length and asked to identify the one that was most like their own. The most common finger length pattern (in half the men in the study) was a shorter index than ring finger. But, those whose index fingers were longer than their ring finger were 33% less likely to have prostate cancer.
The risk reduction was even greater in those under 60. The team found that the younger group was 87% less likely to be in the prostate cancer group. The findings add to the growing body of evidence that the balance of hormones a child is exposed to before birth has an impact on health for the rest of your life.
Doctors will tell you that diagnosing prostate cancer isn’t as straightforward as they might like. The best test we have, known as the PSA test, tells medical people only that something isn’t right with the prostate, not if this is cancer or not.
In 2010, new cases of prostate cancer are expected to number over 217,000, and deaths just over 32,000. Prostate is one of the most common cancers in men, and can grow slowly and stay contained in the gland, or be more aggressive and likely to spread quickly. As with all cancers, early detection gives a patient the largest number of options and best chance for long-term survival.
While no one knows what causes prostate cancer, a family history, getting older, the effects of hormones, as well as factors in the environment (toxins, chemicals and industrial products) and in your diet may all play a part. If you’re worried about your own prostate cancer risk, or your BMI is higher than it should be, you need to take steps to do what you can to lose those extra pounds.
While it can be terrifying to face a life-threatening disease, today’s diagnostic tests make it possible to find something early on, when cancers are most beatable. And though there is no “one size fits all” solution for prostate cancer, your doctor can explain the options (medications, radiation therapy, surgery or simple monitoring) best for you based on the stage of your disease.
Newer techniques, surgeries as well as up and coming medications are also options available to help you manage your condition. Finding the right doctor, and treatment, is key as you wait for more work to be done.
The findings do suggest that a simple test could be done for any man under age 60, helping men at risk be identified for further screening. Genetics and family history would also likely be taken into account.
For those of you checking your own fingers and finding the index finger shorter, don’t be overly concerned about your risk of prostate cancer, but do learn all you can. These days all of us need to be aware and proactive about our own health and wellness.
