Heart drug 'reduces prostate cancer risk'

A drug commonly used in the treatment of cardiac conditions could reduce the risk of prostate cancer, according to research, possibly making recipients of the treatment less likely to need to find a care home.

Researchers at John Hopkins found that men taking the heart medication digoxin had a 24 per cent lower risk of prostate cancer.

However, researcher Elizabeth Platz warned that the scientists are not suggesting the drug should be used to prevent the condition.

"This is not a drug you'd give to healthy people," she said, with side effects including male breast enlargement, heart rhythm irregularities, nausea, vomiting and headache.

Meanwhile, scientists at the National Cancer Institute found that diabetes is linked to a lower incidence of prostate cancer in men, but a higher risk of other cancers and mortality in both men and women.

Diabetes was associated with an eight per cent increased risk of cancer in women and a four per cent reduced chance in men and a respective 11 and 17 per cent higher risk of mortality in women and men.

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