Research increasingly suggests that male fertility may be connected to overall health.
Previous studies have shown that men with low fertility are more likely to develop conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to Lund University.
There are also indications that these men, on average, have a shorter lifespan. Conversely, better overall health is observed among men with high sperm quality.
The explanation may partly lie in genetic factors and lifestyle. Factors such as smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise can affect both fertility and general health.
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Large study
A new study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology is based on data from more than 1.1 million Swedish men who had their first child between 1994 and 2014.
Researchers compared information on fertility with data from the national cancer registry.
A smaller group became fathers through a specific fertility treatment used in cases of severely reduced sperm quality.
Here, researchers found clear differences compared with men who became fathers without treatment.
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Although cancer is rare in the studied age groups, the results are considered robust, according to the study.
Possible implications
The researchers emphasize that fertility treatment itself is not the cause of cancer. Instead, the findings suggest that other factors are involved.
They also point out that men are rarely followed up medically after fertility treatment.
Men with severely reduced fertility have a higher risk of certain types of cancer, including colorectal cancer and thyroid cancer.
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This may mean that fertility could in the future be used as an early indicator of disease and enable earlier screening.
Sources: Lund University and the European Journal of Epidemiology.
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