(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Infertile men have a higher risk of developing high grade prostate cancer, which is more likely to grow and spread quickly, according to a new study.   

Researchers studied the risk for prostate cancer in a group of 22,562 men who were evaluated for infertility between 1967 and 1998 in California. Researchers compared the incidence rate of prostate cancer among the sample of men and the general population with similar ages and geographic locations.

The study identified 168 cases of prostate cancer that developed in the men who were evaluated for infertility.  Researchers found that the men who were evaluated and found to be infertile were 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with high grade prostate cancer than men who were evaluated but were found not to be infertile. 

The authors of the study say if the results are confirmed, there needs to be early prostate cancer screening for infertile men.

SOURCE: Cancer, March 2010