Severe Gestational Hypertension May Protect against Testicular Cancer

Women who experience severe gestational hypertension may give birth to boys at lower risk for testicular cancer, although the precise reasons why are still unclear, according to a new study.

Andreas Pettersson, M.D., a doctoral student at Karolinska Institute (Stockholm, Sweden), reported that the protective effect of gestational hypertension might be caused by the hormones that are released when a placenta malfunctions. "Ironically, a malfunctioning placenta may lower the risk,” said Dr. Pettersson. "One possible reason is that estrogens are lower in pregnancies that develop severe gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, and this lack of estrogens may lower the risk of testicular cancer.”

Dr. Pettersson and colleagues observed 293 cases of germ-cell testicular cancer in the Swedish Cancer Register and 861 controls in the Swedish Medical Birth Register. They extracted data on maternal and pregnancy characteristics such as gestational hypertension, proteinuria, anemia, and glucoseuria. If women experienced severe gestational hypertension, their male offspring were 71% less likely to develop testicular cancer than those women who experienced no hypertension. If the gestational hypertension was mild, there was a 62% increased risk of testicular cancer.

Beyond decreased estrogen, severe gestational hypertension and preeclampsia increases the level of human chorionic gonadotropin, another pregnancy-related hormone, which may also have a protective effect against testicular cancer.

According to Dr. Pettersson, these findings provide insights into the mechanisms behind testicular cancer, but he cautioned against reverse thinking. "This study does not suggest that a woman who does not have gestational hypertension is going to give birth to a boy who is at increased risk for testicular cancer,” he remarked.

The study was published in the November 1, 2008, issue of the journal Cancer Research.

Related Links:
Karolinska Institute