Attention uncircumcised men, according to one new study: sexually transmitted infections can lead to prostate cancer, as they can cause chronic inflammations that create a hospitable environment for cancer cells to form.
Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center assessed the extent to which circumcision – the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin from the penis — hindered the risk of catching infections and subsequently developing some cases of prostrate cancer. The inner foreskin is tougher in circumcised males, and the moist space under it, where pathogens can survive, has been removed.
Should everyone- Jewish or not- have their son circumcised, just so that there is less risk of him developing prostate cancer as an adult? ‘No,’ says the study’s lead author Dr Jonathan Wright.
“It’s an interesting finding in terms of the biological mechanism for cancer development but we are not in the position to make such radical recommendations,” he tells Metro.
There are many ways to develop prostate cancer and this research may be a pathway to reducing the risk in some men. Unfortunately, it could be a point of concern for Jewish communities.
“I can see where the concern would lie. Physicians need to respect and acknowledge an individual’s personal and religious preferences. The study cannot be used to advocate for widespread circumcision,” says Wright.
Think before you snip.
More adventures in psuedoscience:
