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Disclaimer: This thread is only focused on harm reduction for people already using AAS, its not meant to encourage use of Steroids.
what is cancer? Cancer is a broad term for a group of diseases where cells grow abnormally/uncontrollably. Genetic mutations cause these cells to ignore signals that should tell them when to stop dividing or die, leading to tumors. Tumors damage surrounding tissue, draining resources for their own growth. Put very simply, cancer is your own cells turning against you, behaving like parasites inside the body.
When talking about the health risks with steroids people often talk about heart overgrowth or other things, cancer is very rarely even references in regards to prolonged AAS steroid usage so i decided to make a thread on it.
rep please friends: @Molotongo @Intellect @beautyiseverything
what is cancer? Cancer is a broad term for a group of diseases where cells grow abnormally/uncontrollably. Genetic mutations cause these cells to ignore signals that should tell them when to stop dividing or die, leading to tumors. Tumors damage surrounding tissue, draining resources for their own growth. Put very simply, cancer is your own cells turning against you, behaving like parasites inside the body.
When talking about the health risks with steroids people often talk about heart overgrowth or other things, cancer is very rarely even references in regards to prolonged AAS steroid usage so i decided to make a thread on it.
As explained cancer is a cell diesease, the only way to get cancer is from cell division, over time some of these cells get mutations and become cancerous cells. Steroids increase cell prodution in multiple ways, meaning cancer risk is also increased. But how do we combat this? Whats the solution?
Steroids mimic testosterone to increae muscle growth, testerone and other androgens thus work as growth signals meaning they increase cell division and reduce apoptosis (cell death). If an precancerous cell exists, androgen elevation caused by steroid use can accelerate its growth.
Steroids dont hit the body evenly. They disprportionaely affect tissues that are hormone-responsive, high-turnover, growth-signal sensitive, and detoxfication-heavy.
Steroids dont hit the body evenly. They disprportionaely affect tissues that are hormone-responsive, high-turnover, growth-signal sensitive, and detoxfication-heavy.
Steroids dont directly inject IGF-1, but they enhance GH sensitivity, increase IGF-1 production, amplify mTOR signaling and improve nutrient partitioning toward growth. IGF-1 is essential for growth and repair, but chronically elevated levels over long periods of time heavliy correlate with higher cancer rates.
Long term IGF1 is bad since it promotes cell division, inhibits apoptosis, enhances angiogenesis (blood supply to tissue) lower average IGF-1 over decades = lower cancer rate.
These are great for muscle and height but theyre also exactly what cancer cells exploit.
Look out for chronically elevated IGF-1, constant surplus calories and insulin resistance + growth signaling
Early signs are unexplained tissue growth, rapid visceral enlargement, worsening insulin sensitivity. Metabolic dysfunction shows up before cancer.
Long term IGF1 is bad since it promotes cell division, inhibits apoptosis, enhances angiogenesis (blood supply to tissue) lower average IGF-1 over decades = lower cancer rate.
These are great for muscle and height but theyre also exactly what cancer cells exploit.
Look out for chronically elevated IGF-1, constant surplus calories and insulin resistance + growth signaling
Early signs are unexplained tissue growth, rapid visceral enlargement, worsening insulin sensitivity. Metabolic dysfunction shows up before cancer.
for prevention periods of metabolic normalization matter, sleep (poor sleep worsens IGF dysregulation).
The liver metabolizes nearly all steroids, it handles detoxification, regulates lipids, glucose and IGF-1. It gets hit EXTREMELY hard by steroids due to it serving as something akin to a chemical processing plant for the body.
Oral and methylated steroids are especially stressful because of FPE meaning the liver absorbes part of the steroid damaging it a lot in the process. cause direct hepatocyte (the main cell in the liver) injury, and least but not least a disruption of the bile flow.
The progression from chronic liver injury to liver cancer is a well established, and slow process (years to decades) where the livers attempt to repair persistent damage leads to functional impairment.
chronic injury -> inflammation -> fibrosis -> cirrhosis -> liver cancer
Liver cancer rarely comes from one singular injury, usual damage over long periods of time poses a real threat.
The liver has maybe the clearest steroids to cancer link in medicine.
Early signs to look out for are persistent ALT/AST elevations, elevated GGT, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, itching, pale stools or dark urine (late signs). By the time symptoms appear, damage is often advanced.
Oral and methylated steroids are especially stressful because of FPE meaning the liver absorbes part of the steroid damaging it a lot in the process. cause direct hepatocyte (the main cell in the liver) injury, and least but not least a disruption of the bile flow.
The progression from chronic liver injury to liver cancer is a well established, and slow process (years to decades) where the livers attempt to repair persistent damage leads to functional impairment.
chronic injury -> inflammation -> fibrosis -> cirrhosis -> liver cancer
Liver cancer rarely comes from one singular injury, usual damage over long periods of time poses a real threat.
The liver has maybe the clearest steroids to cancer link in medicine.
Early signs to look out for are persistent ALT/AST elevations, elevated GGT, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, itching, pale stools or dark urine (late signs). By the time symptoms appear, damage is often advanced.
Track liver enzymes over time and watch for persistent elevation. Avoid stacking hepatotoxic agents.
The prostate is maybe the most androgen-sensitive organ in the male body due to the fact that prostate cells are loaded with androgen receptors. Testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone directly stimulate cell growth, tissue enlargement and reduced apoptosis (cell death)
Steroids -> sustained supraphysiologic androgen signaling -> increased risk
The important nuance in all of this is that androgens usually dont initioate prostate cancer, they accelerate growth of existing abnormal prostate cells which most men have (to a very small degree) by midlife.
Prostate cancer grows slowly, has hormone driven growth and has late apperance of symptoms making it a real danger for prolonged steroid use specifically in older people.
Steroids -> sustained supraphysiologic androgen signaling -> increased risk
The important nuance in all of this is that androgens usually dont initioate prostate cancer, they accelerate growth of existing abnormal prostate cells which most men have (to a very small degree) by midlife.
Prostate cancer grows slowly, has hormone driven growth and has late apperance of symptoms making it a real danger for prolonged steroid use specifically in older people.
For the prostate, avoid multiple year long elevations of androgen levels. Reduce chronic inflammation, IE sleep better, eat better and stress less. Dont take steroids at a senile or elderly age. And regularily take bloodtests to make sure your PSA levels arent too bad, if theyre rising steadily each year you should stop and get an evaluation. Some other signs too look out for are a weaker piss stream and pelvic pressure.
Androgens strongly stimulate erythropoiesis (red blood cell production) and marrow stimulation. Reduced hepcidin will also create more iron availability resulting in elevated hematocrit, thicker blood and overactive bone marrow.
Bone marrow is constantly dividing and sensitive to growth signals. Basically meaning that it never rests and is a hotspot for cumulative errors over time due its highly proliferative nature.
Chronic overstimulation of the hematologic system by usage of Steroids increases replication errors and viscosity-related complications. An increased risk of myeloproliferative (Rapid bone marrow growth) disorders and thrombosis (blood clots). Blood thickening casuing thrombosis is just a sign of cellular overproduction which over time increases the risk of cancer since cancer is formed from cells divinding and over time malignant mutations.
Early signs to look out for consist of persistently high hematocrit, headaches, shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue and night sweats.
Bone marrow is constantly dividing and sensitive to growth signals. Basically meaning that it never rests and is a hotspot for cumulative errors over time due its highly proliferative nature.
Chronic overstimulation of the hematologic system by usage of Steroids increases replication errors and viscosity-related complications. An increased risk of myeloproliferative (Rapid bone marrow growth) disorders and thrombosis (blood clots). Blood thickening casuing thrombosis is just a sign of cellular overproduction which over time increases the risk of cancer since cancer is formed from cells divinding and over time malignant mutations.
Early signs to look out for consist of persistently high hematocrit, headaches, shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue and night sweats.
Monitor hematocrit, hemoglobin and RBC over longer periods of time to see trends, if there is a clear obvious trend of increase acompanied by bloodclots then youre dealing with cellular overproduction and should reduce exposure or discontinue use of steroids, and get evaluated to stop increasing the risk of cancer.
Cancer in our context comes from mainly chronic cell overproduction. On top of that early cancers are usually asymptomatic and hard to notice, once you truly start feeling it, its often too late. If you want to prevent cancer from steroid usage your best bet is to monitor your bloodwork, limiting total lifetime exposure, allowing hormonal normalization periods aka time off your cycle, controlling inflammation, prioritizing sleep. Just in general stay very healthy. Constant growth for a long enough time WILL cause cancer eventually.
Steroids don’t randomly cause cancer. They increase cell division, suppress apoptosis, and stress hormone-sensitive, high-turnover systems and organs. Over long time, this raises the chance that cumulative mutations turn malignant. Cancer risk doesnt come from one compound or one cycle but from prolonged usage of steroids. Time and error is the ultimate carcinogen.
rep please friends: @Molotongo @Intellect @beautyiseverything
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