A new study has found good news for men who go bald at a young age- they appear to be less likely to develop prostate cancer.

And the male hormone testosterone seems to be the key link in the chain.

Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine studied 2000 men
aged 40-47, half of whom had suffered prostate cancer.

They compared the prostate cancer rate between men who said their hair had started thinning by the age of 30 and those who hadn't experienced any hair loss by this age.

If being diagnosed with prostate cancer wasn’t enough reason for worry, research suggests that the worry itself may be as deadly as the disease for many sufferers.

The research, which analysed data on 168,584 Swedish men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1961 and 2004, found that the men were at an increased risk of suffering a cardiovascular event and more likely to commit suicide soon after the diagnosis.

Barbecued sausages form the staple diet for many New Zealand men over summer but new research suggests eating too many of them could be harmful to your prostate health.

A large study of US men found that those who ate the most red meat and processed meat had a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and especially advanced prostate cancer.

And grilled/barbecued meats were also implicated in raising prostate cancer risk.

Auckland District Health Board has launched a major research trial into the best time for prostate cancer sufferers to receive radiation therapy after surgery.

Led by Auckland City Hospital's radiation oncology department, the trial was developed in collaboration with doctors in New Zealand and Australia.

Auckland City Hospital radiation oncologist Dr Maria Pearce said there were two ways of managing men at high risk of cancer recurring after prostate removal.