LITTLE SEX HARMFUL

LONDON: Men with a low sex drive could be at increased risk of developing breast cancer, according to a report published here Tuesday. A study conducted by the British Journal of Cancer found that men who have fewer orgasms are more likely to develop the disease.

Researchers said lower testosterone levels might be linked to breast cancer. Single and childless men were also found to be at increased risk. So too are first-born sons, according to the study – probably because women produce more oestrogen during their first pregnancy. A similarly heightened risk has been found in first-born daughters.

Breast cancer is very rare among men, with only about 250 cases diagnosed in Britain every year. Men are often diagnosed with the disease later in life and when it is at a more advanced stage, making it more difficult to treat. For the study, doctors in Greece compared 23 men with breast cancer with 76 healthy men, questioning them about lifestyle, sex lives and family history.