Abstract
BackgroundThe aetiology of testicular cancer remains elusive. In this manuscript, we review the evidence regarding the association between cannabis use and testicular cancer development.MethodsIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, we reviewed literature published between 1st January 1980 and 13th May 2015 and found three case–control studies that investigated the association between cannabis use and development of testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs).Results/ConclusionsUsing meta-analysis techniques, we observed that a) current, b) chronic, and c) frequent cannabis use is associated with the development of TGCT, when compared to never-use of the drug. The strongest association was found for non-seminoma development – for example, those using cannabis on at least a weekly basis had two and a half times greater odds of developing a non-seminoma TGCT compared those who never used cannabis (OR: 2.59, 95 % CI 1.60–4.19). We found inconclusive evidence regarding the relationship between cannabis use and the development of seminoma tumours. It must be noted that these observations were derived from three studies all conducted in the United States; and the majority of data collection occurred during the 1990’s.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1905-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
The aetiology of testicular cancer remains elusive
This review was limited in two ways: firstly, it did not assess the quality of the case–control studies – an important step toward understanding potential sources of bias introduced by the authors; and secondly, it did not differentiate between seminoma and non-seminoma tumour types [10] – which is important, since a) non-seminoma tumours are typically diagnosed seven [11] to ten [12] years earlier than seminoma tumours, and may differ in terms of risk factors; and b) each of the studies showed a stronger association for non-seminoma tumours than for seminoma tumours
It is thought that cannabis exposure – and subsequent stimulation of cannabinoid receptors – disrupts normal hormone regulation and testicular function, and that this disruption leads to carcinogenesis [23]
Summary
The aetiology of testicular cancer remains elusive In this manuscript, we review the evidence regarding the association between cannabis use and testicular cancer development. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we reviewed literature published between 1st January 1980 and 13th May 2015 and found three case–control studies that investigated the association between cannabis use and development of testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs). At least three case–control studies reported associations between cannabis exposure and testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT) development [7,8,9]. A recent meta-analysis of these studies showed that those who used cannabis for longer than 10 years were 50 % more likely to develop testicular cancer than those who never used cannabis (summary odds ratio [OR]: 1.50, 95 % CI 1.08–2.09) [10].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
