Sleep problems ‘can increase prostate cancer risk’

The risk of contracting prostate cancer has been linked to sleeping difficulties by a new study published this month.

Scientists in Iceland have published a paper in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention journal showing that men who experience sleep problems – including difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep – have up to a twofold increased risk of developing prostate cancer.

More than 2,000 patients were involved in this trial, with very severe sleep-related disorders being linked to a heightened chance of being affected by advanced forms of the cancer.

This discovery could be potentially significant due to the fact that prostate cancer is a leading men's health concern, while sleep problems are a common affliction.

Dr Lara Sigurdardottir of the University of Iceland in Reykjavik said: "If our results are confirmed with further studies, sleep may become a potential target for intervention to reduce the risk for prostate cancer."

According to NHS data, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with more than 40,000 new cases diagnosed every year.