Now, research points to a potential link between one devastating reproductive condition and increased chances of developing colorectal or thyroid cancers.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/man-suffers-diarrhea-hand-hold-125977849.jpg\")
With male cancer cases rising, one reproductive issue may be behind an increase in certain cancer diagnoses. methaphum \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Fertility issues like lower sperm count<\/a> have been associated with a higher risk of several health conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer of reproductive organs like the testicles and prostate.<\/p>\n A study from Lund University in Sweden<\/a> took a closer look at the connection between male infertility and cancer risk, finding that men with severely reduced fertility are more likely to develop non-reproductive cancer.<\/p>\n Analyzing data from over 1.1 million men who had children, the researchers found that 14,540 became fathers with the help of assisted reproduction technology used to treat severe male infertility.<\/p>\n The men who had severe male infertility had almost twice the risk of developing colorectal cancer and three times the risk of thyroid cancer compared with men who became fathers naturally.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has previously been found that men with severely reduced fertility are at increased risk of developing testicular and prostate cancer,\u201d said research project participant Michael Kitlinski<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is why we wanted to investigate whether there is also a link to other forms of cancer,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n And reproductive issues like quantity and quality of sperm<\/a> could be linked back to genetics.<\/p>\n \u201cOne theory is that if something goes wrong at the genetic level \u2014 which can manifest as reduced sperm quality \u2014 other systems in the body may also be affected, increasing the risk of disease,\u201d said Angel Elenkov<\/a>, a researcher at Lund University.<\/p>\n In prior studies, both\u00a0infertile men\u00a0and their relatives were observed to have a higher cancer risk, suggesting a potential genetic underpinning.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, 1 in 10 couples struggle to get pregnant within a year, which is the clinical definition of infertility.<\/p>\n With a general decline in male fertility and sperm counts\u00a0<\/a>in Western countries, declining by almost 60% globally since 1973, multiple factors can contribute.<\/p>\n How genes are regulated and influenced by the environment and lifestyle, as well as lifestyle factors<\/a> such as obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, are linked to poorer sperm quality.<\/p>\n![\"Male](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/digital-tools-healthcare-education-focused-125977863.jpg\")
A study from Sweden found that severe male infertility could be connected to cases of colorectal and thyroid cancers. fizkes \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n