Changes in Weight and Metabolic Syndrome Are Associated With Prostate Growth Rate Over a 5-Year Period

To evaluate the relationship between changes in weight, waist circumference (WC), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and prostate growth over 5 years in the adult population.

Data were collected from 1088 adult men (age ≥40 years) without history of prostate cancer who underwent more than 2 general health screenings between 2006 and 2013. Percent changes in prostate volume (PV) were assessed for 5 years after baseline measurements. Associations between prostate growth and change in weight, WC and MetS status, respectively, were calculated using uni- and multivariate linear regression analyses.

During the 5 years, the median PV changes were 1.3 cc/year corresponding to a median growth rate of 6.2%/year. By multivariate linear regression analysis, change in weight was significantly associated with prostate growth (P < .01) after adjusting for age, initial PV, and initial body mass index (BMI). Prostate growth and weight changes were correlated in obese men (initial BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) (0.150; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.425-1.547; P <.01) but not in nonobese men (initial BMI < 25 kg/m²) (0.054; 95% CI, -0.176 to 0. 858; P = .20). Patients with newly developed MetS showed greater prostate growth than those who did not have MetS (6.796; 95% CI, 1.599-12.003; P = .01).

Changes in weight, WC and newly diagnosed MetS affected prostate growth rate during 5 years. Reducing weight and controlling MetS could decrease the prostate growth rate.