Prostate Cancer Answers

Prostate Cancer: Why Eating Well Is The Best Defense

2012-07-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

By Robert Thatcher

No other human organ is as susceptible to cancer as the prostate. Each year, an estimated 209,900 American men are diagnosed with the disease, making it the most prevalent form of cancer in the United States. Although lung cancer claims more than twice as many men’s lives each year, prostate cancer is the second most lethal male cancer, killing 41,800 men annually.

In fact, the malady is so widespread that by age 65, nearly two out of three males may develop minute tumors producing in their “prostates,” the walnut-size gland that is wrapped around the urethra, the tube that drains the bladder. And some doctors believe that if men lived long enough, every man would develop the disease.

Curiously, the vast majority of men who have the disease will never know it. That is because prostate cancer normally manifests a gradual growth of tumor, often taking 20 to 30 years to become large enough to be detected by any currently available tests or to bring about serious health problems.

By then, many older men who had these small tumors will have long since died of other origins such as heart disease and stroke.

According to some urologic oncology experts, many more men die with prostate cancer than from it. They contend that if they could just slow the growth of the tumor so that it takes 40 to 60 years to progress instead of 20 to 30, which would amount to a cure for many men.

Doctors suspect that dietary changes may help men stall the progress of disease and prevent it from becoming life threatening. Here are a few prostate protectors.

1. Go lean fat

Lowering your fat intake to 20% of your total calories, that is about 44 grams of fat if you eat 2,000 calories a day, is one of the best things that you can do to slash your risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer.

2. Turn away from red meat

Beef and other red meats are loaded with saturated fat, a type of fat linked to development of several cancers including prostate cancer.

In one study of 51, 000 American men, those who ate the most red meat were 2.6 times more likely to cultivate complex prostate cancer than men who avoided meat consumption.

3. Catch some fish

One reason why advanced prostate cancer is rare in china may be the quantity of fish in the diet. One study compared cancer rates of American men to men living in Shanghai, China, where people consume three times as much fish in their daily diet. The rate of prostate cancer for the American men was a dramatic 25.9 times higher than for the Chinese.

4. Discover the joy of soy

Health experts suggest that instead of meat, try substituting tofu, miso, and other soy foods in salads, casseroles, and soups.

Men in Japan eat many soy-based foods, benefiting from significantly high levels of genistein and genistin, two substances found in soy that may help clamp down on the disease.

5. Learn to like lycopene

A study at the Harvard School of Public Health tracked the eating habits of almost 50,000 health-care professionals for more than six years. The researchers concluded that lycopene, an antioxidant compound that gives tomatoes their distinctive red color, helps fight cancer.

So now you know the preventive measures in order to avoid developing prostate cancer, it is best that you start employing these tips in order to have a healthier, cancer-free life.

As the old adage goes, you are what you eat. So eat healthy in order to be healthy.

The Best Prostate Cancer Treatment Alternatives

2012-07-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

By George Anderson

Prostate cancer is a very common problem with men over the age of 80 and it starts becoming frequent with men over 50. By the time they are 80, almost half will have some form of prostate cancer which is not noticeable. Even though it is dangerous, just like any other cancer type, prostate cancer is very seldom the cause of death for the men who have it. Although this is such a common illness, doctors are still uncertain of the precise causes for prostate cancer. Ethnicity is one of the factors that offers some differentiation, with black men the highest risk and Asian men the lowest.

Curing prostate cancer is possible, but the condition has to be detected in the early stages. Many men do not even seek medical advice when the symptoms are present, partly because they are very similar to those of another disease: BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy. Most men will experience difficulties while urinating, noticing a weak or intermittent flow of urine. Other symptoms include urgent needs to urinate or the need to wake up several times a night to do this. Some patients also observe a dribbling of urine after and even before urinating.

There is no universal treatment that will work the same in individual cases. Doctors have to determine several decisive factors, such as general health condition, age, location of the tumor in the prostate, size of the tumor. The number one option for treatment is surgery. However, the main operation, known as radial prostatectomy, is extremely tiring to the body, so the patient has to be in good condition. Most surgery patients are men between 50 and 70 years of age who do not seem to have extensive cancer damage. There are some side effects involved with this procedure, mostly related to erectile dysfunctions and minor urination problems. However, modern techniques greatly reduce the side effects and the success of surgery is high.

Choosing a hormone therapy is another option. This treatment does not kill the cancer cells but it reduces the size of the prostate tumor of the majority of patients. Most doctors recommend this treatment together with surgery for best effects. Cancer growth is stimulated by testosterone, the male sexual hormone, and hormone therapies reduce its level. By reducing testosterone levels, the prostate becomes less subjected to cancer cell growth. Based on patient medical history and overall health level, doctors may or may not choose to prescribe hormone therapy.

Sometimes, the doctor might suggest an alternative treatment to surgery. Radiotherapy can work by destroying cancer cells through radiation. The method is painless and involves only out-body procedures. However, some side effects like diarrhea and impotence have been noticed. Brachytherapy is the other. It involves the implantation of radioactive elements in the prostate, which are inserted with the patient under anesthesia. In time, the radioactive elements loose their properties, but they also help diminish cancer cell growth.

What A Man Must Know About Prostate Cancer!

2012-07-10T05:22:00.004-07:00

by: Fritz Frei

1. Testosterone and its active metabolite.

Dihydro-testosterone are essential for prostate cancer to develop, but does not actually cause prostate cancer. Men who are castrated at a young age do not develop prostate cancer.

2. Prevalence of prostate cancer

One in ten men will develop clinically significant prostate cancer in their lifetime. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American males with 250 000 new cases reported annually. Prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in both the USA and the UK. Prostate cancer is rare among Orientals. It is more common in black than white Americans. The disease appears to present at a younger age and behave more aggressively in American blacks. Prostate cancer is common in South Africa and probably underreported as a cause of death. The exact incidence in South Africa is not known as no large-scale epidemiological studies have been performed. It is uncertain whether prostate cancer is more common in South African blacks as compared to whites. In very old men prostate cancer is not always clinically significant. Autopsy data indicate a 70% incidence of prostate cancer in 80 year old men. The majority of these men died with rather than from prostate cancer.

3. Causes of prostate cancer

There is no single cause of prostate cancer. The cancer originates in the epithelial cells of the glandular elements of the prostate. As with most cancers defects in the DNA of the cell are central to the development of prostate cancer. Multiple DNA defects are required for cancer to develop. This multi-step process takes place over time. Some defects can be inherited, while others are acquired during the patient's lifetime. Prostate cancer is exceedingly rare before the age of 40, but 1 in 8 men between the ages of 60 and 80 years suffer from the disease. 9% of all prostate cancers are caused by a genetic susceptibility, probably inherited via chromosome 1. These genetically related cancers tend to present at a relatively younger age.

4. What is prostatitis?

Prostatitis means “inflammation of the prostate”, and is one of the most common reasons men visiting the doctor in the western world. It is most common in men over the age of 30, and particularly in men over the age of 60. While prostatitis is treatable, diagnosis can be lengthy and not all treatments are successful. This is partly because the various causes of prostatitis are not fully understood. There are three main types of prostatitis:

· Acute prostatitis, which develops suddenly and may not be permanent.

· Non-bacterial prostatitis, which may develop suddenly or follow a slower or variable course. It is now more commonly called chronic male pelvic pain syndrome because it cannot be proved to be “non-bacterial”, though a bacterial cause cannot be identified.

· Chronic (bacterial) prostatitis, which develops gradually and may only have subtle symptoms, though it often continues for a prolonged period.

· asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis - which has no symptoms at all but results in an inflamed prostate, is sometimes mentioned. It has been discovered when biopsies are conducted on the prostate to rule out cancer, and no cancer is found. This is a histological and not a clinical diagnosis. Prostatitis is often reported on the histological analysis of TURP specimens when the prostate resection was performed for symptoms of BPH. If the patient is asymptomatic this histological finding does not warrant any treatment.

The Truth About Prostate Cancer Warning Signs

2012-07-09T10:42:00.002-07:00

By Dan Ho

Prostate cancer warning signs...

Every man should be concerned about their prostate's health.

Indeed, for men not paying attention to it, it can be deadly as prostate cancer comes second only to lung cancer with respect to cancer-caused deaths for American men...and is near the top for Canadian men as well.

Prostate cancer is also the most common type of cancer for men in the United States. Tens of thousands of new cases are diagnosed yearly.

Although there is most likely a hereditary component to your chances of getting prostate cancer, like many things in life, a lot of it comes down to choices you make, such as taking quality prostate health promoting supplements and eating food for good prostate health.

Prostate cancer warning signs

Although the aforementioned prostate statistics don't seem to be good, the truth of the matter is that if prostate cancer is detected early, treatments are often very successful and chances of surviving are very high.

Therefore, one of the best things you can do other than take the necessary supplement and dietary steps to promote good prostate health is to have what is called a PSA test (prostate specific antigen tests) done every year. It doesn't take long and it's not painful so don't put it off.

The drawback of the PSA test is that it isn't perfect in what it reveals.

Now, what about prostate cancer warning signs?

Well, unfortunately, prostate cancer does not really give off any warning signs.

In addition, another confusing aspect is that most of the possible warning signs, if they appear, are also the same signs for other prostate health problems that are non-cancerous in nature, such as BPH, which is called an enlarged prostate gland.

However, these signs are still worth mentioning.

The following are some potential prostate cancer warning signs or signs of BPH:

incomplete emptying of the bladder
dribbling
difficulty starting urination
reduced force of the stream
frequent urination of small amounts
pain with urination
ejaculation pain
blood in the urine

Dietary and Supplement Protocols

Although saw palmetto is touted as the best herb to take for prostate health, it actually isn't. Something called Beta sitosterol is much better. Here's why:

Even the best Saw Palmetto supplements are comprised of 99% fatty acids and 1% sterols. The sterol component is where the therapeutic benefit lies (hence the name Beta Sitosterol).

In short, by taking Beta Sitosterol, you will be getting only the active component of Saw Palmetto that is responsible for its medicinal properties. Beta sitosterol is literally thousands of times more powerful than saw palmetto.

Other beneficial nutrients and supplements include: lycopene, pygeum, stinging nettle, and cornsilk.

With respect to food for good prostate health, recent research by the authoritative US National Cancer Institute revealed that men who consumed more than 1/3rd of an ounce of onions, scallions, garlic, chives per day were much less likely to have prostate cancer.

In conclusion, don't wait for prostate cancer warning signs or signs of other prostate problems to show up before you do anything about it.

On the other hand, if you are already experiencing possible signs of prostate problems, don't panic.

This is a very treatable condition if caught in its early stages. Just make sure you take appropriate action and talk to your doctor about it right away so you don't become a statistic.

Overcooking your meat may cause Prostate Cancer

2012-07-09T10:38:00.001-07:00

Summer is almost here and now is the time we all start getting the barbeque grills out of the garage and get ready for the big Memorial Day weekend barbeque. This will be the start of a long, hot summer filled with delicious meals cooked on our favorite grills. On thing we must be careful of is not to overcook and char our meat on the grill. A recent study had put a direct link to charred meat and prostate cancer.

For several years doctors and scientists have known about the dangers of the connection between overcooking meat until it becomes charred. A compound that is formed when the meat becomes charred is called PHIP. This compound has been found to cause the growth of prostate cancer in lab rats.

The meat has to be charred enough where the edges are blackened and almost totally burnt. Most barbequer's would throw this meat in the garbage and take their chances with maybe the potatoe salad and this would be the healthier choice. The reaserchers contend that we follow some simple grilling guidelines and everything will go well and be healthy:

Always cook on a clean grill, use a wire brush after and before placing any meat on the grill

cook meat over a low flame, this method provides for a better cooked piece of meat anyway

make sure to turn the meat several times if the flames get to intense

always remove charred pieces of meat especially around the edges

How To Avoid Prostate Cancer Naturally

2012-07-09T10:34:00.002-07:00

It’s much better to avoid any form of cancer than to try and treat it after it has appeared. Prostate cancer, however, is usually a slow growing form of cancer which responds well to treatment.

The first step in prostate cancer prevention is to improve your general health. Weight should be within the normal range for your height. If you are very overweight, see your doctor for advice and eat a healthy diet which is low in fatty or sugary foods. This combined with daily exercise such as walking and swimming should help.

Drink lots of water - water is vital for health. It prevents hunger and flushes toxins from the body. Six to eight glasses a day is ideal and tea and coffee doesn’t count towards this!

Cut down on alcohol. There’s nothing wrong with the odd drink, just don’t make it a daily habit.

Lycopene - found mainly in tomatoes is an antioxidant which has a proven beneficial effect on prostate health. Studies have shown that men who consume large doses of lycopene have a much lower incidence of prostate cancer.

Lycopene is not destroyed by cooking and is hence found in tomato sauce, tomato paste and in all your favorite Italian dishes!

Isoflavones found in soy beans and it’s products such as soy milk or tofu has a balancing effect on the body’s hormones. Isoflavones can counter excess testosterone which can lead to prostate cancer.

Beta-carotene found in carrots and other brightly coloured vegetables can stimulate T-helper cells which prevent the development of cancer.

Selenium is an extremely important micro nutrient which is only needed in tiny amounts. Selenium can be found in certain foods, but the soils in many areas in the world are deficient in this mineral and the food cannot absorb this mineral. Supplements are beneficial is this case.

And last, but not least, a person’s mental disposition can have a direct effect on the health of the body. Emotions such as anger, stress and depression can have a damaging effect on the immune system and can lead to diseases such as cancer or heart problems.

Try to let go of these damaging emotions. Practice relaxation exercises or learn Yoga or qigong. Qigong is a wonderful set of Chinese breathing exercises which can heal disease, whether physical or emotional, and allow you to experience great health.

So adopting certain changes of diet, ensuring you take supplements and keeping your emotions positive can all help in the prevention of prostate or indeed any other form of cancer.

By Wendy Owen

The Best Natural Approach To Prostate Cancer Symptoms

2012-07-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

At an advanced age, the risks of surgery for prostate cancer or other more radical treatments may actually be worse than the disease. In Portland Oregon, there is a three-year Oregon Health & Sciences University study; leaders hope to come up with an exercise program to benefit men dealing with prostate cancer who are on testosterone-lowering medications. Prostate cancer is characterized by 'grade' and 'stage'; grade is given to indicate how quickly a cancer is growing - the higher the grade, the more likely it is that the cancer will grow and spread rapidly and the size and extent of the tumor will determine its stage.

About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only one man in 34 will die of the disease. It's estimated that approximately 234,460 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and approximately 27,350 will die of the disease. The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm.

If cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. The need to urinate frequently, especially at night is another symptom. One prostate cancer symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine.

Other symptoms might include unintentional weight loss and lethargy. Weak or interrupted flow of urine and painful or burning urination can be symptoms to watch out for. Some men will experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer.

Your doctor may use either one or two of the most common tests for prostate cancer detection. A prostate gland biopsy usually confirms the diagnosis. There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not always mean a patient has prostate cancer.

A bone scan can indicate whether the cancer has spread or not. There is a newer test called AMACR that is more sensitive than the PSA test for determining the presence of prostate cancer. The decision about whether to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor.

If chemotherapy is decided upon after the first round of chemotherapy, most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician's office. The conventional treatment of prostate cancer is often controversial. Anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure.

Urinary incontinence can be one of the possible complications of surgery. In the early stages, surgery and radiation may be used to remove or attempt to kill the cancer cells or shrink the tumor. Radiation therapy is used primarily to treat prostate cancers classified as stages A, B, or C.

An oncologist, a cancer specialist, will usually recommend treating with a single drug or a combination of drugs. Surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy all have significant side effects; know fully what they are before you proceed. Prostate cancer that has spread (metastasized) may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or nothing at all.

Treatment options can vary based on the stage of the tumor. Radiation therapy to the prostate gland is either external or internal, both of which use high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Since prostate tumors require testosterone to grow, reducing the testosterone level is used to prevent further growth and spread of the cancer.

Consider taking cod liver oil or fish oil supplements every day. A good dietary, natural treatment approach is to avoid all acidic inflammatory foods; those are foods that aren't alive. Drink freshly made carrot juice every day that you make in a juicer or juice extractor.

Buy lacinato kale and juice it in your juicer with sweet carrots. Drink plenty of pure filtered water, a minimum of a quart a day. Make highly nutritious raw applesauce using a food processor and put in 3-4 cored pesticide-free apples, with the skin on, and mix for a minute; so much better for you than canned highly processed applesauce and add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed for another boost.

Some foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, and refined, packaged and processed food. For snacks, choose raw nuts without salt instead of lifeless roasted nuts. Eat a lot of fruits and veggies every day, not just a token banana or apple.

The outcome of prostate cancer varies greatly; mostly because the disease is found in older men who may have a variety of other complicating diseases or conditions, such as cardiac or respiratory disease, or disabilities that immobilize or greatly decrease their activities. Because prostate cancer is a slow-growing disease, many men with this disease will die from other causes before they die from prostate cancer. Evidence indicates that many patients detect cancer at an earlier stage because of annual screening, so make sure to get a good exam.

Author: Helen Hecker

What happens after Treatment for Prostate Cancer?

2012-07-09T09:25:00.006-07:00

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2012-07-08T18:44:00.002-07:00

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Federal Task for Recommends Men Should No Longer Get a PSA Test!

2012-07-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

A government panel made a final recommendation that regular PSA tests are doing men more harm than good.

Worried about Your Prostate Health?

2012-07-08T12:15:00.001-07:00

Prostate cancer is the number one diagnosed cancer in men over the age of 50 and in African-American Males over the age of 45 in the United States excluding the skin cancers. As males age the prostate can develop problems. The three most diagnosed conditions in older males related to the prostate are prostatitis, enlargement of the prostate (BPH) and prostate cancer.

Get the facts about the most diagnosed cancers in males over 50 today and the other conditions that may effect the prostate as we age. Learn about the advancements in the screening for prostate cancer of the last 2 decades and when enlargement of the prostate might not be prostate cancer. Being informed on when to get tested for prostate cancer and the other conditions that may effect your prostate is the best way to ensure you know what to expect if you ever have problems with your prostate or have to undergo treatment for prostate cancer.

What is the Prostate? The prostate is a sex gland in men that is located in the abdomen below the bladder at the base of the penis in front of the rectum. It is normally about the size of a golf ball and wraps completely around the urethra, or the tube that runs from the bladder through the penis. What it does is manufacture prostatic fluid, an alkaline fluid which regulates the acidity of semen and protects it from the acids in the reproductive tract of the female. It also acts as a pump during the male orgasm forcing semen in the urethra and doubles as a valve directing both urine and sperm. Not vital organ to live but quite a vital organ for “normal” life.

So what is Cancer? Cancer is a term that doesn't describe a single disease but a group of diseases. These diseases do share one common trait though of uncontrolled cell growth and division. Cell growth and division are controlled by the DNA in each cell. Just about every cell in your body is in a continuous life and death cycle with new cells replacing the old (only exceptions is within the heart and brain) in a process called cellular replication. Normally, the cells in an adult generate just enough new cells to replace the old cells. Basically when a cell that behaves abnormally and “cancerous” it doesn’t stop replicating itself, causing abnormal growth and tumors. Cancerous cells stop performing their original specialized functions and become parasites in the body, consuming energy normally reserved for the normal cells. Cancer spreads when these cancer cells break away from the tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. These cells can lodge themselves in another part of the body and continue to replicate causing new tumor growth. Cancer is defined by the place of origination, so if it originates in the prostate, it is called prostate cancer. If it spreads to other areas it is called metastatic prostate cancer.(article by Neville Samson)

Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer among American men.

2012-07-08T12:15:00.000-07:00

Do you know how when you should start getting your PSA checked? Screening for prostate cancer is done because early stages of this disease usually do not present with any specific symptoms. If prostate cancer is caught in these early stages then treatment will be more effective than if it was caught when symptoms have arisen.

What about a DRE? When should my doctor do them and what are they? The American Cancer society recommends testing for prostate cancer for males over the age of 50. The typical screening techniques used for prostate cancer are annual PSA's, DRE's and Transrectal Ultrasounds.Do you know how when you should start getting your PSA checked? Screening for prostate cancer is done because early stages of this disease usually do not present with any specific symptoms. If prostate cancer is caught in these early stages then treatment will be more effective than if it was caught when symptoms have arisen.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer? Usually their are no specific signs or symptoms of early stage prostate cancer. This is why the need to get screened for this disease is extremely important. Yearly exams done by your doctor which include a DRE and PSA blood test are very important.

Tommy Chong Treats His Prostate Cancer With Cannabis

2012-07-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Tommy Chong Treats His Prostate Cancer With Cannabis: Actor-comedian Tommy Chong, one-half of the pot-loving pair “Cheech and Chong,” said he’s treating his “slow stage-one” prostate cancer with his favorite plant. “I’ve got prostate cancer, and I’m treating it with hemp oil, with cannabis,” Chong, 74, told CNN Saturday. “So [legalizing marijuana] means...

Incontinence After Prostate Cancer Treatment: First Study to Identify Factors for Higher Risk | SYS-CON MEDIA

2012-07-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Incontinence After Prostate Cancer Treatment: First Study to Identify Factors for Higher Risk | SYS-CON MEDIA

Prostate Cancer Answers

Prostate Cancer: Why Eating Well Is The Best Defense

The Best Prostate Cancer Treatment Alternatives

What A Man Must Know About Prostate Cancer!

The Truth About Prostate Cancer Warning Signs

Prostate cancer warning signs...

Prostate cancer warning signs

Dietary and Supplement Protocols

Overcooking your meat may cause Prostate Cancer

How To Avoid Prostate Cancer Naturally

The Best Natural Approach To Prostate Cancer Symptoms

What happens after Treatment for Prostate Cancer?

FOLLOW UP VISITS

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Federal Task for Recommends Men Should No Longer Get a PSA Test!

Worried about Your Prostate Health?

Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer among American men.

Tommy Chong Treats His Prostate Cancer With Cannabis

Incontinence After Prostate Cancer Treatment: First Study to Identify Factors for Higher Risk | SYS-CON MEDIA