Men with severe infertility more likely to develop colon and thyroid cancer: Study

Earlier colorectal cancer screening urged for those who have struggled with fertility issues

Published May 03, 2026  •  2 minute read

In vitro fertilization of an egg cell is pictured in this stock photo. Photo by iStockphoto /Getty Images

A new Swedish study is linking male infertility with a higher risk of colon and thyroid cancer.

Article content

The study by researchers at Lund University looked at data from over 1.1 million men who had children between 1994 and 2014, and isolated 14,540 men who became fathers with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which is an assisted reproduction technology used to treat severe male infertility.

Article content

Article content

The researchers then cross-referenced the over 14,000 cases against the national cancer registry, and found that the men who became fathers through ICSI were at a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer and thyroid cancer than men who hadn’t undergone ICSI to become fathers.

“They 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,” said Michael Kitlinski, a medical student and research project participant at Lund University, in a news release.

The researchers stressed that the fertility treatment itself was not the cause of the cancers.

Article content

“This risk was not present among men who conceived using standard IVF, which in Sweden is more commonly used in couples with female infertility,” the study said.

They also noted that although the relative cancer risk is higher among men who have undergone ICSI treatment, the rate of cancer is low among men between the ages of 30 and 35.

Recommendations from the study

“These results represent an additional argument for considering initiation of disease-preventing measures in men seeking health care due to fertility problems,” the study said.

Researchers suggested lowering the age for colorectal cancer screening in men with severe infertility in countries already offering screening guidelines.

The researchers had noted that previous studies have linked lower male fertility with the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders and cancers of reproductive organs.

The study’s findings were published earlier this year in the European Journal of Epidemiology.

Read More

1. 

   Sperm racing is a thing and now there's a World Cup for it
2. 

   Marriage linked to lower risk of cancer diagnosis, study says

3. 

   Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults. Here’s who is most at risk and symptoms to watch for

For more health news and content around diseases, conditions, wellness, healthy living, drugs, treatments and more, head to Healthing.ca – a member of the Postmedia Network.

Article content