University of Utah School of Medicine researchers have found compelling evidence that Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer and melanoma. Research analysis shows this increased cancer risk also extends to close and distant relatives of individuals with PD, a progressive neurologic condition that leads to tremors and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. This is the first time that an increased risk of prostate cancer has been reported in PD.
“Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease may share common disease-causing mechanisms with some cancers,” says Stefan-M. Pulst, MD, professor and chair of the department of neurology at the University of Utah and senior author on this study. “Using the Utah Population Database, we were able to explore the association of PD with different types of cancer by studying cancer risk in individuals with PD, as well as their close and distant relatives.”
Birth, death, and family relationship data for over 2.2 million individuals are included in the Utah Population Database (UPDB). Some of the records in this computerized database cover 15 generations, thus the UPDB is a useful resource for studying genetic risk. The UPDB is also linked with the Utah Cancer Registry and Utah death certificates dating back to 1904.
“In Utah, we have the unique opportunity to evaluate the relationship between PD and certain cancers using a population-based approach that eliminates many of the typical types of bias associated with epidemiological studies,” says Lisa Cannon-Albright, PhD, University of Utah professor of internal medicine and division chief of genetic epidemiology, and coauthor of this study. “Rather than relying on patient interviews for family medical history, we were able to use the UPDB, along with statewide registries of cancer and death, to look for links between PD and cancer.”
Nearly 3000 individuals who had PD listed as their cause of death and at least 3 generations of genealogical data were identified in the UPDB by researchers. Further analysis revealed that the risk of prostate cancer and melanoma within this PD population was significantly higher than anticipated. Researchers also observed a heightened risk for prostate cancer and melanoma among first-, second-, and third-degree relatives of these individuals with PD.
“In our study, we not only identified an increased risk for prostate cancer and melanoma among individuals with PD and their relatives, but also established a reciprocal risk for PD among individuals with these two cancers and their relatives,” says Pulst. “Collectively, these data strongly support a genetic association between PD and both prostate cancer and melanoma.”
“Our findings point to the existence of underlying pathophysiologic changes that are common to PD, prostate cancer, and melanoma,” says Cannon-Albright. “Exploring the precise genetic links among these diseases could improve our understanding of PD and influence strategies for prostate and skin cancer screening.”