Impact of Vasectomy on the Development and Progression of Prostate Cancer: Preclinical Evidence

Some observational studies have implied a link between vasectomy and an elevated risk of prostate cancer. We investigated the impact of vasectomy on prostate cancer outgrowth, mainly using preclinical models. Neoplastic changes in the prostate were compared in transgenic TRAMP mice that underwent vasectomy vs. sham surgery performed at 4 weeks of age. One of the molecules identified by DNA microarray (i.e., ZKSCAN3) was then assessed in radical prostatectomy specimens and human prostate cancer lines. At 24 weeks, gross tumor (p = 0.089) and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (p = 0.036) occurred more often in vasectomized mice. Vasectomy significantly induced ZKSCAN3 expression in prostate tissues from C57BL/6 mice and prostate cancers from TRAMP mice. Immunohistochemistry showed increased ZKSCAN3 expression in adenocarcinoma vs. prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), PIN vs. non-neoplastic prostate, Grade Group ≥3 vs. ≤2 tumors, pT3 vs. pT2 tumors, pN1 vs. pN0 tumors, and prostate cancer from patients with a history of vasectomy. Additionally, strong (2+/3+) ZKSCAN3 expression (p = 0.002), as an independent prognosticator, or vasectomy (p = 0.072) was associated with the risk of tumor recurrence. In prostate cancer lines, ZKSCAN3 silencing resulted in significant decreases in cell proliferation/migration/invasion. These findings suggest that there might be an association between vasectomy and the development and progression of prostate cancer, with up-regulation of ZKSCAN3 expression as a potential underlying mechanism.