Health professionals have long been concerned about the negative physical effects of marijuana. An article published February 9, 2009 in Medscape Medical News examines this issue. The article reviews a study published online in the February 9, 2009 issue of Cancer. The researchers conducted "...a population-based case–control study of 369 men with testicular cancer (aged 18–44 years) and 979 age-matched controls. Information on marijuana use, cigarette smoking, and alcohol use was collected from interviews, which were conducted in person." The results were disturbing. "The risk for testicular cancer increased by 70% in men who reported current marijuana use, and increased even more in those who smoked marijuana at least weekly and/or had long-term exposure to the drug, starting in adolescence." The public health implications of this study are clear. More efforts need to be made to decrease marijuana smoking in the young adult population. And health care professionals who treat young adults with a significant marijuana history should have these individuals screened on a regular basis for testicular cancer.
The Bottom Line: The results of this study strongly suggest that marijuana smoking may cause testicular cancer.
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Dr. Jeffrey Speller
Dr. Tanya Korkosz
Psychopharmacology Associates of New England
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