Male infertility might be a warning sign for certain types of cancer, a new study reveals.
Men with severely reduced fertility are more likely to develop colon cancer or thyroid cancer, researchers at Lund University mentioned in a report published on April 16, 2026.
According to the researchers, men were found to have almost twice the risk of developing colorectal cancer and three times the risk of thyroid cancer compared with men who become fathers naturally. The findings add to previous studies that have connected lower male fertility to a wide range of health issues. Men with no or fewer sperm in their semen are among those at most risk for critical illness, while men with good sperm quality tend to live a healthier life on average.
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To support the statement, the Cleveland Clinic experts noted in another report that reproductive capacity is linked to a person’s genetic makeup. One theory is that if something goes wrong at the genetic level, other parts of the body may also be affected. This increases the risk of cancer.
For the new study, experts analysed data from more than 1.1 million men who had their first child between 1994 and 2014. The team of experts compared the health of more than 14,500 men who became fathers with the help of assisted reproduction against those who achieved fatherhood naturally. Most men who undergo fertility tests are between the ages of 30 and 35 years old. The team emphasized that fertility treatments do not contribute to cancer, but are merely a symbol of various health problems.
Researchers plan to delve deeper into these men’s cancer risk, looking for the exact factors that might make them susceptible to specific types of cancer.
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