Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33927357›Full record

SynthesisProstate cancer and prostatic diseases2021

Association between vasectomy and risk of prostate cancer: a meta-analysis.

Yawei Xu, Lei Li, Wuping Yang, Kenan Zhang, Kaifang Ma, Haibiao Xie, Jingcheng Zhou, Lin Cai, Yanqing Gong, Zheng Zhang and 1 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. The review of the long-term health risks associated with vasectomy.International journal of impotence research · 2025
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Yawei XuDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Lei LiDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Wuping YangDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Kenan ZhangDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Kaifang MaDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Haibiao XieDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Jingcheng ZhouDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Lin CaiDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Yanqing GongDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Zheng ZhangDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China.
Kan GongDepartment of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, The Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, 100034, China. gongkan_pku@126.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7195-677X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe debate over the association between vasectomy and prostate cancer has been lasted about 40 years and there is no sign of stopping. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate whether vasectomy is associated with prostate cancer based on the most comprehensive and up-to-date evidence available.

methodsThe PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases were systematically searched inception to March 14, 2021 without year or language restriction. Multivariable adjusted risk ratios (RRs) were used to assess each endpoint. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

resultsA total of 58 studies involving 16,989,237 participants fulfilled inclusion criteria. There was significant association of vasectomy with risk of any prostate cancer (risk ratio, 1.18, 95% CI, 1.07-1.31). Association between vasectomy and advanced prostate cancer (risk ratio, 1.06, 95% CI, 1.01-1.12), low-grade prostate cancer (risk ratio, 1.06, 95% CI, 1.02-1.10), and intermediate-grade prostate cancer (risk ratio, 1.12, 95% CI, 1.03-1.22) were significant. There was no significant association between vasectomy and prostate cancer-specific mortality (risk ratio, 1.01, 95% CI, 0.93-1.10).

conclusionsThis study found that vasectomy was associated with the risk of any prostate cancer and advanced prostate cancer. From the current evidence, patients should be fully informed of the risk of prostate cancer before vasectomy.

Indexed as

HumansMaleProstatic NeoplasmsRisk FactorsVasectomy

Identifiers

PMID33927357

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.