Research Shows Baldness Drug To Help Against Prostate Cancer

Research Shows Baldness Drug To Help Against Prostate Cancer

Recent research shows that the once controversial baldness drug that blocked hormones can actually help certain men prevent prostate cancer.

The drug called finasteride is also sold as Proscar and in the more well-known form of Propecia. The drug is prescribed to treat urinary problems but most famously for the treatment of hair loss. The research showed that it managed to reduce prostate cancer risk by an impressive 30 percent. This is quite the opposite of what previous research results suggested like an increased risk of dying from an aggressive form of the disease.

The new data may bring back the possibility of prescribing the drug to prevent prostate cancer thus saving thousands of lives each year.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and it confirms data published from a separate study from 2003 that said the drug finasteride can decrease prostate cancer with close to 30 percent.

The study lasted 18 years and had was made out of men aged 55 or older. Some men were given finasteride while other took dummy pills. The men who took the drug had a 10 percent rate of contracting the cancer while those who took the placebo had a 15 percent rate of prostate cancer.

Even with the recent data, researchers say that it is unlikely that the FDA will change the baldness drug’s warning label.

Posted by George Daniels on Sunday August 18 2013, 5:13 AM EST. Ref: CBS. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0