ANTHROPOMETRIC RISK-FACTORS FOR PROSTATE-CANCER

Cancer of the prostate is the leading cancer among American men, yet f ew risk factors are known. Anthropometry may help uncover potential ri sk factors for prostate cancer, since fat distribution, skeletal struc ture, and musculature may differ between men with this hormonally link ed cancer and those without it. A case-control study was undertaken To determine whether anthropometric differences exist between prostate c ancer cases and controls and whether such differences are associated w ith specific hormonal profiles. The study accrued 315 men stratified f or race, age, and case/control status. Weight, height (sitting/standin g), skinfold thicknesses (triceps, biceps, subscapular, suprailiac, th igh), circumferences (midarm, waist, hip, thigh), breadths (elbow, bia cromial, biiliac), hormonal levels (total and free testosterone, dihyd rotestosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin), bone density, and body composition were measured. Measures of upper body robustness [i.e., bi acromial breadth-to-height ratio (p = 0.02) and biacromial (p = 0.05) and bideltoid (p = 0.04) breadths] were greater-among controls. Strong negative associations were found uniformly between sex hormone-bindin g globulin levels and measures of body adiposity and musculature. Data show that prostate cancer cases exhibit a propensity toward a slight upper body skeleton, which may in itself serve as a risk factor or pro vide a benchmark of past nutritional and/or hormonal status and help e lucidate the etiology of this disease.