Hematologic Markers and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Prospective Analysis in UK Biobank

Background: Risk factors for prostate cancer are not well understood. Red blood cell, platelet, and white blood cell indices may be markers of a range of exposures that might be related to prostate cancer risk. Therefore, we examined the associations of hematologic parameters with prostate cancer risk.

Methods: Complete blood count data from 209,686 male UK Biobank participants who were free from cancer at study baseline were analyzed. Participants were followed up via data linkage. After a mean follow-up of 6.8 years, 5,723 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 323 men died from prostate cancer. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for prostate cancer incidence and mortality by hematologic parameters, and corrected for regression dilution bias.

Results: Higher red blood cell (HR per 1 SD increase = 1.09, 95% CI, 1.05–1.13) and platelet counts (HR = 1.07, 1.04–1.11) were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Higher mean corpuscular volume (HR = 0.90, 0.87–0.93), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (HR = 0.90, 0.87–0.93), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (HR = 0.87, 0.77–0.97), and mean sphered cell volume (HR = 0.91, 0.87–0.94) were associated with a lower prostate cancer risk. Higher white blood cell (HR = 1.14, 1.05–1.24) and neutrophil count (HR = 1.27, 1.09–1.48) were associated with prostate cancer mortality.

Conclusions: These associations of blood indices of prostate cancer risk and mortality may implicate shared common causes, including testosterone, nutrition, and inflammation/infection among several others in prostate cancer development and/or progression.

Impact: These associations provide insights into prostate cancer development and progression.