Male-Pattern Vertex Baldness Trajectories, Chest Hair Patterns, and Odds of Overall and Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Abstract

Abstract Background: The link between hormones and hair growth is well established. Inconsistent associations have been found between hair patterns and cancer of the prostate, a hormone-dependent organ. We assessed vertex baldness trajectories, chest hair amount, and their relationships with the odds of developing prostate cancer in a large case–control study in Montreal, Canada. Methods: In-person interviews were conducted with 1,931 incident prostate cancer cases and 1,994 population-based age-matched (±5 years) controls. Participants reported their hair patterns using the validated Hamilton–Norwood scale of baldness for 10-year increments starting at age 30, and their current amount of chest hair. Group-based trajectories were used to identify men sharing similar patterns of vertex baldness severity over adulthood. Multivariable logistic regression assessed associations between indicators of baldness (frontal, vertex, age at onset, severity, and trajectories), chest hair, and odds of prostate cancer. Results: Vertex balding onset at age 30 was associated with increased odds of overall prostate cancer [Odds ratio (OR), 1.30; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03–1.64]. Men in the trajectory characterized by early moderate vertex baldness and developing severe baldness had increased odds of overall (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03–1.96) and especially aggressive prostate cancer (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.21–3.22) compared with men without baldness. Men with little chest hair had higher odds of aggressive tumors than those with a moderate amount/a lot of chest hair. Conclusions: Early-onset moderate vertex baldness that progresses and having little chest hair may be useful biomarkers of aggressive prostate cancer. Impact: Integration of early-onset vertex balding patterns into risk prediction models of aggressive prostate cancer should be envisaged.