Body size and risk of prostate cancer in Jamaican men

We investigated the associations between body size and risk of prostate cancer in a hospital-based case-control study in Jamaica. Height, weight, waist, and hip circumference were measured at enrollment, and data collected on medical and lifestyle factors for newly diagnosed cases (n = 243) and controls (n = 275). Compared with men in the normal range of waist-hip ratio (WHR), men with WHR > or =0.95 were at greater risk of total prostate cancer (OR,1.72; CI, 1.01-3.00) and high-grade cancer (OR, 2.02; CI, 1.03-3.96). With additional control for BMI, the association with WHR remained significant for total prostate cancer (OR, 1.90; CI, 1.01-3.53) and high-grade disease (OR, 2.94; CI, 1.34-6.38). There was no association between waist circumference and cancer without control for BMI but after controlling for BMI, waist circumference >90 cm (OR, 2.45; CI, 1.01-5.94) and >102 cm (OR, 5.57; CI, 1.43-18.63) showed a dose-response relationship with high-grade disease. Height and BMI were not associated with risk of prostate cancer. Abdominal obesity may be associated with risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Risk may be greater in those with higher abdominal obesity relative to overall size. The results further highlight the importance of investigating relationships by characteristics of the tumor.