Do Bald Men Have Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer?

Men with a receding hairline may have something to cheer about. A study from the University of Washington School of Medicine suggests that men who experience a bald spot and significant thinning by the age of 30 may be less likely to develop prostate cancer. The investigators studied 2,000 men between the ages of 40 and 47. Half of the men had already been diagnosed with prostate cancer. But those who reported early baldness were 30 to 45 percent less likely to have prostate tumors. Because this research runs counter to previous findings, some scientists are puzzled and skeptical. The new study is likely to spur further research on this fascinating observation.
[Cancer Epidemiology, online Feb. 22, 2010]