*According to a new study, men who smoke one marijuana cigarette daily have a 36% increased risk of developing testicular cancer compared to men who have never smoked the substance.

*The researchers said their study offers insights into the ways long-term marijuana smoking could affect men and raises red flags about new marijuana consumption methods like vaping that are currently understudied.

*Although just 1% of all men get testicular cancer, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, it's the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males between the ages of 15 and 35.

There's new evidence that a daily marijuana-smoking habit could increase your risk of testicular cancer.

According to a study published Nov. 27 in JAMA, men who smoke one marijuana cigarette, or joint, daily for 10 years or more have an estimated 36% increased risk of developing testicular cancer compared to men who have never smoked the substance.

To come to their conclusion, researchers analyzed 25 previous studies that looked at the link between marijuana use and different cancers including testicular cancer, lung cancer, oral cancer, and head and neck cancer.

Although the researchers found no association between regular marijuana use and lung, neck, or oral cancer, they did find that regular weed smoking over many years heightened a man's testicular cancer risk.

Like smoking cigarettes, smoking marijuana releases carcinogens or substances that can increase a person's risk of developing cancer.

That's because cannabis, the plant marijuana is derived from, is like any other plant, according to Dr. Jeffrey Chen, the director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, in that it burns and releases smoke when you light it. "When you combust any plant, you're creating significantly more carcinogens," Chen previously told Insider.

The study researchers were unable to determine why their meta-analysis showed only a link between smoking pot and testicular cancer, but none of the other three cancers they analyzed.

They did, however, note that the varying populations of each study they analyzed could have contributed to their findings. For example, the meta-analysis only included studies written in English, which could have left out large swaths of the population.

Additionally, since the studies were published between 1973 and 2018, some of the older studies may not reflect the current population's marijuana consumption habits. And, of course, the study could not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Nonetheless, the researchers said their study offers insights into the ways long-term marijuana smoking could affect men and raises red flags about new marijuana consumption methods like vaping that are currently understudied.

And, as marijuana continues to be legalized, more people may be picking up marijuana smoking habits, so it's important to understand the substance's health risks, the researchers wrote.

Although just 1% of all men get testicular cancer, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, it's the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males between the ages of 15 and 35. Every year, an estimated 8,850 men are diagnosed with the disease.

According to NORD, the most common testicular cancer symptom is a firm but painless bump on the testicle, which is a cancerous tumor. If one testicle swells, that's also a sign of cancer.

Other symptoms include aching in the stomach or scrotum areas, nausea, weight loss, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.

Fortunately, testicular cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer, according to NORD. It's usually curable with surgery, and sometimes also requires radiation or chemotherapy.

Source: msn.com

Date Posted: Wednesday, December 4th, 2019 , Total Page Views: 1478