Cancers

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Urological Cancer: Epidemiology and Genetics

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ilir Agalliu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

1. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
2. Department of Urology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
Interests: epidemiologic risk factors; genetic susceptibility; prostate cancer; bladder cancer; risk prediction models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Evan Kovac

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Rutgers Cancer Institute, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
Interests: prostate cancer; kidney cancer; bladder cancer; underserved populations; transperineal prostate biopsy; robotic surgery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urological cancers—including prostate, bladder, kidney, and testicular cancers—represent a substantial global health burden. In the United States alone, the American Cancer Society estimates that nearly half a million new cases of urologic cancers will be diagnosed in 2025. Incidence and mortality rates vary widely by geography, sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. These disparities are influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and social factors that determine health.

This Special Issue invites investigators to submit original research that explores genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, lifestyle factors, and biomarkers associated with the risk of urological cancers, with a particular focus on prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers. We especially encourage studies conducted in high-risk or underrepresented populations. Submissions that examine interactions between genetic and lifestyle or dietary factors are of particular interest, as are biomarker studies that elucidate mechanisms linking environmental and behavioral factors to cancer risk. We also welcome rigorous meta-analyses that offer new insights into the etiologic role of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors in urological cancers, provided they address gaps in the existing literature and advance the field.

Dr. Ilir Agalliu
Dr. Evan Kovac
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.

Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.

Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.

External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.

Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Other

15 pages, 932 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Androgenetic Alopecia and Risks of Overall and Aggressive Prostate Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by David G. Hanelin, Sapir Amar and Ilir Agalliu

Cancers 2025, 17(21), 3581; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17213581 - 6 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1097

Abstract

Background: Androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness (MPB), is a common hair loss disorder among middle-aged men. MPB shares similar risk factors with prostate cancer (PrCa), including advancing age, family history, and sex hormones. Several studies have examined the associations between MPB and PrCa; however, the evidence remains unclear. We carried out an updated meta-analysis of epidemiological studies that examined the relationship between age at onset and patterns of MPB (either frontal, vertex, or both) and their associations with risks of total and aggressive PrCa. Methods: A literature search was performed using PubMed and Web of Science databases for epidemiological studies published between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2024 that examined the associations between MPB and PrCa. From each eligible study, relevant data were extracted on study design and population, sample size, prevalence of MPB at various ages, and their association with PrCa. Pooled relative risks (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the Der-Simonian and Laird random-effects models. Heterogeneity across studies was assessed by I² statistics, while the quality of studies was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: A total of 19 observational studies, including 17,810 cases and 146,806 controls/non-cases, were analyzed. The prevalence of MPB increased from 5% to 65% with aging and varied across the studies. Both frontal and vertex MPB were associated with a pooled RR of 1.08 (95% CI 1.02–1.14) for total PrCa, but there was no association with frontal-only MPB. Younger-onset MPB (<40 years old) was also associated with an RR = 1.13 (95% CI 0.96–1.31) for PrCa, although results were not statistically significant. Vertex-only MPB was associated with more aggressive PrCa (pooled RR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.02–1.25); however, there was substantial heterogeneity in the definition of aggressive PrCa across the studies. Conclusions: Men with both frontal and vertex MPB have a modestly elevated risk of PrCa. However, most studies were conducted in Caucasian men and they did not evaluate effect modifications by genetic variations in androgen metabolism pathway genes or changes in serum levels of androgens with aging. Large prospective cohort studies with more accurate longitudinal assessment of hair loss patterns are needed to better understand the complex relationship between genetic susceptibility, endogenous hormones, MPB, and subsequent risk of PrCa. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urological Cancer: Epidemiology and Genetics)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Urological Cancer: Epidemiology and Genetics

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (1 paper)

Other

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI