Grim North 'adds to risk of cancer'

Grim weather up North may be making men more prone to prostate cancer.

Scientists believe a combination of cold temperatures and lack of sun could help explain higher rates of the disease in northerly regions of the world.

Poor exposure to the sun's rays can lead to vitamin D deficiency, which may increase prostate cancer risk, it is claimed.

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At the same time, cold weather might help to slow the degradation of cancer-triggering industrial pollutants, say US researchers.

Cold temperatures were also believed to help the chemicals precipitate out of the atmosphere and fall to the ground.

Dr Sophie St-Hilaire, who led the scientists from Idaho State University, said: "We found that colder weather, and low rainfall, were strongly correlated with prostate cancer.

"Although we can't say exactly why this correlation exists, the trends are consistent with what we would expect given the effects of climate on the deposition, absorption, and degradation of persistent organic pollutants including pesticides".

Incidence of the disease is greater in higher latitudes, according to the scientists.

Each year in the UK, around 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 10,000 die from the disease.

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