Finasteride (Propecia) and Prostate Cancer Risk: 2008 Update
In 2005, the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) showed that a dosage of 5 mg of finasteride (Proscar) could reduce prostate cancer risk by 25% as compared with placebo. However, the follow-up study seemed to indicate that there was a higher risk of developing a high-grade (bad) type of prostate cancer when taking finasteride at that dosage.
A 2008 update revealed actually that there was a 30% reduction in the risk of prostate cancer when on finasteride; and when 500 samples of prostates were evaluated by a pathologist, there was no increased risk of prostate cancer in individuals on finasteride. It was deemed to be an artifact (i.e., artificial result) of the prostate shrinkage that occurs on finasteride. For more information on finasteride, please visit our page which details everything you should know if you are on finasteride (Propecia) for male pattern baldness/hair loss.