Anogenital distance, a biomarker of fetal androgen exposure and the risk of prostate cancer: A case-control study

Abstract

Anogenital distance (AGD) is a biomarker and a sexual dimorphism measure that can be modulated by hormonal factors, like anti-androgens, responding to gestational exposure along fetal period. There seems to be a prenatal window period in which specific environmental exposures can result in increased risk of suffer hormone-dependent neoplasms, like prostate cancer (PCa). Objective: Evaluate the association between AGD and the risk of PCa. Methods: Incident case-control study, conducted on 153 patients. All patients underwent prostate biopsy for abnormal digital rectal exam and/or prostate antigen elevation. Two variants of AGD [anus to scrotum base (AGDas) and anus to dorsal insertion of penis (AGDap) were measured. Student’s t-test was used to analyze continuous variables and chi-square for discrete variables. Differences in AGD (raw and adjusted) measures between cases and controls were assessed using the ANCOVA test. Results: There is significant association between the diagnose of PCa and both AGD, patients diagnosed with PCa had both AGD measures shortened, in the crude and the full adjusted models. Conclusions: This research suggests that the same gestational environmental exposures, could represent a weak androgen signaling and may also have an increased risk of prostate cancer.