Chances of surviving prostate cancer “depend on blood group”

The Daily Telegraph 14 April 2014

A man’s blood group has been shown significantly to influence the chance that prostate cancer will return after successful surgery.

Men with group O blood are far less likely to suffer a recurrence of the disease after surgery.

By contrast, research shows that men with blood group A were 35 per cent more likely to fall victim to the disease again. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in European men and 40,00 cases are diagnosed in Britain each year.

The study author, Dr. Yoshio Ohno of Tokyo Medical University, said: “This is the first time anyone has shown that prostate cancer recurrence can vary with blood group. As yet, we don’t know why the risks vary with blood group but this work may guide us towards new avenues of molecular research on prostate cancer progression.”

The research was presented at the European Association of Urology’s annual congress at Stockholm this week. The study tracked 555 patients with prostate cancer from 2004 to 2010.

Blood group is determined by the presence of different antigens and antibodies, which serve as the blood’s defences.

Group O blood is the most common in Britain with 44 per cent of the population estimated to have the type. About 42 per cent have group A blood.