Right hand digit ratio (2D:4D) is associated with prostate cancer: Findings of an admixed population study

Abstract

Objective: Digit ratios are considered putative markers for prenatal hormone exposure, as well as the action of HOX andAR genes. Such genes have been connected to carcinogenesis and digit ratio could help to identify patients that bear suchpredisposition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible correlations between digit ratio, prostate cancer(PCA) - the most common cancer in men – and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) in a multiethnic sample of men between50 and 80 years, the main risk group for this disease.Methods: Digital images of the right hands of patients diagnosed with PCA (n=40), BPH (n=40) and age-matchedcontrols (n=40) were obtained. Fingers were measured using Adobe Photoshop 7.0® and the mean ratios between the 2ndand 4th digits were compared. Data were analyzed by Student’s t test and regression models (α=0.05). Risk factors (dietaryfactors, tobacco consumption, age and familial history) were similar among the three study groups.Results: Males in the PCA group presented significantly lower digit ratio (P=0.04) in comparison with males withoutprostatic lesions.Conclusions: Males with the lower digit ratio seem to be more prone to undergo malignization of prostatic lesions. Similarrisk factors for the three groups allows us to infer that digit ratio could add to the research of etiological factors and be aputative marker for the screening of patients’, especially in a admixed population.