Doping and testicular cancer

[Catwhoorg]

The reason I asked was there are some well documented familial links with increased risks of testicular cancer.

It appears there is no known link to maternal breast cancer though.

 

[franic]

Apparently I’m not the only one. On the page of Betsy Andreu people are discussing about this

https://www.facebook.com/alisonrecchiahilyard/posts/10153264089053855?pnref=story

What people pointed out is that EPO helps increasing the progression of cancer: http://www.hemodoc.info/2011/12/epo-lighting-the-fires-of-cancer.html

PDGF-BB modulates hematopoiesis and tumor angiogenesis by inducing erythropoietin production in stromal cells

At the molecular level, we show that the PDGF-BB–PDGFR-bβ signaling system activates the EPO promoter, acting in part through transcriptional regulation by the transcription factor Atf3, possibly through its association with two additional transcription factors, c-Jun and Sp1. Our findings suggest that PDGF-BB–induced EPO promotes tumor growth through two mechanisms: first, paracrine stimulation of tumor angiogenesis by direct induction of endothelial cell proliferation, migration, sprouting and tube formation, and second, endocrine stimulation of extramedullary hematopoiesis leading to increased oxygen perfusion and protection against tumor-associated anemia.

Blood protein EPO involved in origin and spread of cancer

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, and is one of the most important research fields in the treatment of such diverse conditions as cancer, metastases, obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and chronic inflammation. The process is also important in healthy individuals for wound healing, the menstrual cycle and other normal processes. Professor Yihai Cao and his team are researching into angiogenesis and its links to cancer and other diseases, and in the present study show the significant role played by a growth factor, PDGF-BB.

"It's a member of the PDGF family and significantly contributes to blood vessel development, which is one of the characteristic signs of cancer, says Professor Yihai Cao. Our preclinical findings suggest that PDGF-BB causes systemic effects in the body, which is to say that rather than being active locally it goes into the blood and interferes with the function of several organs so that the entire body is affected."

Moreover it seems there are some more cases of cyclists with cancer: http://crankpunkoriginal.com/2012/11/28/cyclings-russian-roulette-the-link-between-doping-and-cancer/

in the news today is a story on the former U23 European Champ, Italian Graziano Gasparre. now 34, Gasparre recently had a tumor unceremoniously removed from his left butt cheek. he had a pretty underwhelming pro life, though did ride the Giro twice and won a stage at the Tour de l’Avenir when with Mapei, and is perhaps better known for giving information to the Italian authorities on doping towards the end of his career. Gasparre though doesn’t look back on his time in the peloton with any great fondness -in fact, he links his cancer directly to his racing career:

“If today I’m stricken by this problem, it’s probably the fault of doping. For many years, to remain at a certain level, I had to adhere to the system, ruining my health, and not just that.”

quite what ‘not just that’ means is unknown, but of interest here is that link he makes to doping and his illness. he’s not the first rider to make that link either. far more successful than Gasparre, Frenchman Laurent Fignon, winner of one Giro d’Italia and two Tour de France, also connected his own personal history of abusing banned substances with the cancer that eventually killed him.
Fignon retired in 1993, after, according to him, deciding not to take EPO. disgruntled that ‘lesser’ riders were suddenly keeping up with him, he left the peloton to forge a fairly successful career as a television pundit, commenting on pro racing and garnering a new generation of fans. in the commentary box he displayed an intelligence and knowledge that was highly valued but also a hitherto unexposed sense of humor, one that he hid well when a pro, famous as he was for his outbursts and short temper. yet Fignon did admit to doping – though he stated it was more ‘recreational’ than systematic, noting that the cocaine was a popular drug of the 80s era – and wondered, as cancer slowly overwhelmed him, if the cause was that abuse.

this is a lengthy quote from ScienceDirect, originally taken from Pharmacological Research, May 5th, 2007. bear with me, it is of interest:

Pre-clinical studies and epidemiological observations in patients with an excess of hormone production or in patients chronically treated with hormones/growth factors for various pathologies have warned about the potential risk of cancer development and progression which may be also associated to the use of certain doping agents. Anabolic steroids have been described to provoke liver tumours; growth hormone or high levels of its mediator insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have been associated with colon, breast, and prostate cancers. Actually, IGF-1 promotes cell cycle progression and inhibits apoptosis either by triggering other growth factors or by interacting with pathways which have an established role in carcinogenesis and cancer promotion. More recently, the finding that erythropoietin (Epo) may promote angiogenesis and inhibit apoptosis or modulate chemo- or radiosensitivity in cancer cells expressing the Epo receptor, raised the concern that the use of recombinant Epo to increase tissue oxygenation might favour tumour survival and aggressiveness.

Cancer risk associated to doping might be higher than that of patients using hormones/growth factors as replacement therapy, since enormous doses are taken by the athletes often for a long period of time. Moreover, these substances are often used in combination with other licit or illicit drugs and this renders almost unpredictable all the possible adverse effects including cancer. Anyway, athletes should be made aware that long-term treatment with doping agents might increase the risk of developing cancer.

 

[The Hitch]

What I find interesting is that even if cancer is responsible for Basso, the ammount of people that suffer major complications from doping, is low, very low. Cycling has been rife with doping for decades and with major doping for around 30 years now, and while there are some notable examples most of these guys, hundreds of which have willingly injected themselves week after week for years and years, seem to be living perfectly normal uncomplicated lives.

 

[neineinei]

Re:

The number is 3. You are forgetting Irizar.
But it looks pretty unlikely as it should be similar across all sports especially the weightlifters/bodybuilders w.r.t hcg or testosterone. Most likely to do with position of cyclists as other posters have already pointed out.

Let's not forget Nicklas Axelsson, the first testicular cancer survivor to be banned from cycling for life.

But there doesn't seem to be anything special with the number of cyclists who gets testicular cancer. Testicular cancer is fairly common, as many has pointed out already in this thread. Thankfully the chances for recovery are also high, especially when it is caught early.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Re: Re:

The number is 3. You are forgetting Irizar.
But it looks pretty unlikely as it should be similar across all sports especially the weightlifters/bodybuilders w.r.t hcg or testosterone. Most likely to do with position of cyclists as other posters have already pointed out.

Let's not forget Nicklas Axelsson, the first testicular cancer survivor to be banned from cycling for life.

But there doesn't seem to be anything special with the number of cyclists who gets testicular cancer. Testicular cancer is fairly common, as many has pointed out already in this thread. Thankfully the chances for recovery are also high, especially when it is caught early.

8400/300000000 = US expected testicular cancer numbers for 2015.

Sorry but that's not what I call common.

 

[joe_papp]

Nonetheless this is the second case, after Armstrong, of a doped guy with testicular cancer.

Actually, former Mercury rider Ernie Lechuga (http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=3729) had testicular cancer when he was in his early-20s. Diagnosed in 1998, iirc. Nice guy. Very humble.

He came back:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-04-22/sports/0404220258_1_cancer-survivor-peloton-tour