A study conducted by the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center has debunked existing research about the potential link between a sexually transmitted infection and advanced prostate cancer.
The recently published study found no significant association between trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis, and advanced prostate cancer.
This also applies to cases where cancerous tumors have spread beyond the organ.
“Over 800 Hawaiʻi men are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. Identifying how to lower risk factors is critical to informing future prevention strategies,” said Brenda Hernandez, who led the study, in a statement.
Researchers analyzed blood samples from participants diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer and those without.
The study drew from a group of participants of Japanese-American, White, African-American, Native Hawaiian, and Latino populations in Hawaiʻi and California.
It's part of a larger initiative that aims to diversify and broaden the research scope beyond predominantly white populations, given the variations by race and geographic location.
Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer of men in Hawaiʻi, according to the study.
The medical journal Cancers published the full study, which can be read online.
