Dutasteride Study Shows Reduced Prostate Cancer Risk

Long term study shows Dutasteride reduced the risk of prostate cancer detected via prostate biopsy by 23% over a period of four years. The study group included men between the age of 50 to 75 who had increased cancer risk, with prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels between 2.5 and 10 ng/ml.

Dutasteride is a 5-alpha-reductase enzyme inhibitor that inhibits both type 1 and type 2 isoenzymes. These enzymes convert testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the prostate gland. High levels of dihydrotestosterone accumulates and cause hyperplasia. Dutasteride capsules have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men with an enlarged prostate gland.

BPH is benign enlargement of the prostate gland in men over forty, which may not present any problems until over sixty. BPH causes urinary track symptoms such as frequent urination, leaking, and urinary urgency. Dutasteride trials show significant improvement of urinary track symptoms.

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