UKC

Do you think drug abuse in cycling may lead to an increase in cases of testicular cancer?

In reply to Pedro50:

There's a strong correlation in one particular case…

(though I'm not sure which came first)

In reply to nufkin:

Maybe two now.

In reply to Pedro50:

Somewhat insensitive, but it has prompted me to do some research. The incidence rate is 1 in 263 (U.S. Figures) and is most likely to hit blokes in their mid - thirties, so no, there is no evidence of a link.

That said, increased cancer risk is a known side effect of HGH and testosterone. I have also heard of a story of a pro cyclist whose cancer was discovered through drug testing - abnormal testosterone levels - and that Armstrongs cancer may have been caught a lot earlier had he been clean.

In reply to Pedro50:

Lance Armstrong was diagnosed almost 20 years ago. So that's 2 cases you can highlight over 20 years in elite level cycling (though there are probably more) which must comprise thousands of men in the prime age range for testicular cancer. The incidence rate in the general population can't be very different to what it is in pro-cycling.

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Not sure of a cyclist but there are several examples such as Alan Stubbs and Jake Gibbs who failed tests due to cancer and got treated promptly because of it.
Would be interesting to see if Armstrong had had any random drugs tests in the months prior to his cancer being picked up.

In reply to Pedro50:


"Gonadal cancer in another Tour de France cyclist - A long-term consequence of doping? Probably not.

You will have heard about Basso pulling out of the Tour due to testicular cancer. This will probably remind you of Armstrong and the fact that both of them have been convicted of doping in the past. This WOULD suggest that there may be a link; and there's one, but not necessarily to doping, but rather to cycling and rubbing your testes on the saddle 24/7.

There's a link between testicular cancer and riding bikes or horses in men: In that cycling poses a risk increase of "only" 99% while horse-riding actually more than triples (3.31x) the overall still low risk of testicular seminoma.

Addendum: Unfortunately bicycling for more than 3h per week is also a risk factor for erectile dysfunction - and that's not just in professional cyclists [*]."

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In reply to Shani:

Interesting - thanks a lot