Ravich 17 tried to link prostatic cancer to noncircumcision by showing a higher rate of cancer in his non-Jewish patients than in his Jewish patients. However, he failed to match these two groups for age. This is especially important since prostatic cancer becomes more common with advancing age. There are no other studies that convincingly show a relationship between noncircumcision and prostatic cancer. There is an association, however, between lack of circumcision and carcinoma of the penis.
Penile cancer is rare in circumcised men.
It is also rare in cultures where men practice good hygiene, for example in Sweden. Hygiene appears to offer as much protection against this cancer as circumcision does. Only half of the physicians were aware of the AAP's recommendation, which may account for the position of some. Since this recommendation is more likely to appear in the pediatric and obstetric literature, it is not surprising that this group is more knowledgeable. However, knowledge of the AAP's recommendation did not appear to affect a large number of physicians.