Prostate Cancer and Dietary Sugar Intake: A Systematic Review

Background: Prostate cancer is a leading malignancy among men globally, with its incidence expected to rise due to aging populations and shifting lifestyles. While established risk factors include age, ethnicity, and genetics, the role of modifiable dietary factors, particularly sugar intake, remains less clear. Emerging evidence suggests that high sugar consumption may promote carcinogenesis through insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and hormonal dysregulation. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the current evidence on the association between dietary sugar intake and prostate cancer risk.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted across six databases for observational studies published between January 2005 and April 2025. Eligible studies assessed the associations between quantitative sugar intake and prostate cancer outcomes. Screening, data extraction, and a risk of bias assessment (using ROBINS-E) were performed independently by multiple reviewers.

Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising four prospective cohorts, one case–control study, and one cross-sectional study, with a combined sample of 11,583 men from the USA, Canada, Sweden, and France. Three studies reported a significant positive association between a high intake of dietary sugars and prostate cancer risk, two found no association, and one showed mixed findings depending on the type of sugar. Heterogeneity in the exposure assessments and confounder control limited the comparability.

Conclusions: This review suggests a possible association between high dietary sugar intake and increased prostate cancer risk, especially from added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages. However, inconsistent findings and methodological limitations highlight the need for robust, prospective studies with standardized assessments to understand this relationship better.