Washington, Sept 24 : Recent studies have discovered two new risk indicators for prostate cancer.

The first study, led by Dr David Orsted at the Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, found that men diagnosed with benign prostate enlargement have an increased risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer.

The second study found that monitoring prostate-specific antigen levels could be used to predict the long-term risk of healthy men developing and dying from prostate cancer.

Both could lead to more efficient and cost-effective screening for prostate cancer, with reductions in over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment.

Over 27 years, the study found that benign enlargement of the prostate gland, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, was associated with a two to three-fold increased risk of men developing prostate cancer, and with a two to eight-fold increased risk of them dying from prostate cancer.

The second Danish study, also led by Dr Orsted, looked at whether prostate-specific antigen levels could predict prostate cancer incidence and mortality in the general population.

Prostate-specific antigen is a protein produced by the prostate gland.

Measuring the antigen levels, the researchers found that stepwise increases in prostate-specific antigen predicted a 3-44 fold increased risk of prostate cancer and a 2-12 fold increased risk of prostate cancer mortality.

The findings will be presented at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress. (ANI)