If any of the men in your life including your Gen X sons were or still are pot smokers, they may be at a higher than normal risk for testicular cancer. A new study from the University of Southern California has established a link between recreational marijuana use and an increased risk of developing subtypes of testicular cancer. The study was published online in the journal Cancer. The researchers also suggest caution regarding the medicinal use of marijuana, especially for boys and men in the 15 to 45 age group.
The investigators found that men with a history of using marijuana were twice as likely to have subtypes of testicular cancer called non-seminoma and mixed germ cell tumors. The study’s findings confirm those from two previous reports in Cancer on a potential link between marijuana use and testicular cancer.
A release from the publisher quotes lead researcher Victoria Cortessis, MSPH, PhD as sating: “We do not know what marijuana triggers in the testis that may lead to carcinogenesis, although we speculate that it may be acting through the endocannabinoid system—the cellular network that responds to the active ingredient in marijuana—since this system has been shown to be important in the formation of sperm.”
Symptoms of the disease are lumps or enlargement of the testes and a dull ache. When detected early, surgery is usually the only treatment needed and survival rates are good so be sure your men get tested if they notice symptoms.
