Objective: The 2nd to 4th digit length (2D:4D) is inversely related to androgen exposure during the fetal period, which may represent a risk factor for several steroid-related diseases.
We aimed to evaluate the relationship between 2D:4D ratio and the risk of developing prostate cancer (PCa).
Subjects and Methods: We assessed the 2D:4D ratio of 474 men >40 years old, stratified into three groups: group 1 (n = 222) patients with PCa, group 2 (n = 82) subjects with high risk of PCa, and group 3 (n = 170) men with low risk of PCa. Subjects were submitted to a digital picture of the ventral surface of the right hand and 2nd and 4th fingers measurements were determined by the distance from the proximal crease to the tip using computer-assisted analysis.
Results: The mean serum prostate-specific antigen level was 7.5 ng/ml in the high-risk group and 0.92 ng/ml in the low-risk group (p < 0.05). The mean 2D:4D ratios were 0.96 ± 0.04, 0.97 ± 0.04 and 0.96 ± 0.04 for the PCa, high-risk and low-risk groups, respectively, and no difference was found among the three groups (p = 0.12).
Conclusion: Anthropometry of the hand using the 2D:4D ratio is not a predictor of PCa.
Written by:
Salomão L, Figueiredo RT, Oliveira Santos R, Damião R, da Silva EA. Are you the author?
Service of Urology, Pedro Ernesto Memorial Hospital, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Reference: Urol Int. 2013 Dec 7. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1159/000354275
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 24334856
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