A new study suggests that truck driving increases men's risk to aggressive prostate cancer. The researchers were able to present how lifestyle and conditions that go along with the job may contribute to the development of the disease.
Dr L. Joseph Su, lead researcher from the National Cancer Institute, initiated the study to identify if there are jobs that put men at risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
The researchers examined the data of 1,083 Euro-American and 1,049 Afro-American men who were just recently detected with the disease. These men were surveyed about their most recent job and those they held the longest time in their life. They were specifically asked if they ever tried to have a job for over six months in an animal care center, garden shop, or those that involved extermination and landscape.
The study found a clear link with the aggressive prostate cancer for those jobs in garden shops which spanned over six months and truck driving done for a long time. Other jobs however did not show any associations with the disease.
Su explained that the probable cause of increased prostate cancer risk of the participants is the exposure of the body to frequent vibrations.
"Truck drivers are on the road for a long period of time…older trucks have a lot of vibration and bumping of the engine. Long-term vibration from the engine, which is right next to your prostate, for a long period of time," Su said.
Aside from vibrations, another potential cause is the lifestyle of the truck drivers which include very little physical activity and less access to nutritious food along the way.
The researchers are planning to further investigate the diet of the participants. Although they did gather data on this aspect, it was limited only on their BMI or body mass index.
The study was presented during the 12th annual American Association for Cancer Research conference held at the National Harbor, MD.
