Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access International Journal of Health Geographics cautioned that cold and dry weather has been associated with an increased incidence of prostate cancer. They further added that the reason behind this may be attributed to the meteorological effects on pesticides and industrial by-products.

The correlation between a variety of weather parameters and the occurrence of prostate cancer were studied by Sophie St-Hilaire along with a team of researchers from Idaho State University, USA.

She said, "We found that colder weather, and low rainfall, was strongly correlated with prostate cancer. Although we can't say exactly why this correlation exists, the trends are consistent with what we would expect given the effects of climate on the deposition, absorption, and degradation of persistent organic pollutants including pesticides".

The incidence of men developing prostate cancer is higher in the north as compared to south. Some persistent organic pollutants cause cancer, but according to the researchers, cold weather slows the degradation of pollutants, also causing it to precipitate towards the ground.

The research has been published in the International Journal of Health Geographics.