MEN - Prostate Got You On The Run?

Thursday, 01 May 2014 02:00

Prostate Got You On The Run?

Written by  Jacob Teitelbaum, MD

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that produces semen, the fluid that transports sperm. After a man turns 50, or in those with urinary symptoms, the prostate may begin to need support. And men who have CFS/FMS can be particularly vulnerable to a form of prostate irritation called prostadynia.

The prostate rings the urethra, the tube that transports ejaculate and drains urine from the bladder. As the prostate expands in size, the urethra may be squeezed and narrowed, causing urinary symptoms such as frequent urination (particularly during the night), urgency, difficulty starting the stream, a weaker stream, dribbling at the end, and incomplete emptying.

These are the symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that in mild, moderate or severe form afflicts four out of five men aged 40 and older. (It’s THE most common health problem among older men.) And as I mentioned earlier, many men with CFS/FMS have prostate irritation called prostadynia, with similar symptoms and sometimes pelvic pain. The prostadynia symptoms often improve with long-term antifungals, antibiotics in select cases, and the nutrient quercitin.

There are several medications that doctors often use to treat BPH. Flomax (a so-called alpha-blocker) works by relaxing the muscles where the bladder and urethra intersect, allowing for easier flow. Proscar and Avodart work by decreasing production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the compound that pumps up prostate cells. But like most medications, they have downsides. For one thing, they’re expensive. And they’re not without side effects, from decreased semen volume to painful orgasms (from Flomax).

Natural approaches to optimize the health of your prostate are often effective alternatives to prescription medications. In this article, I’ll discuss five herbals that can help keep your plumbing in tip-top shape.

Herbals That Can Help Optimize Your Prostate Health

1. Saw Palmetto Extract
Also known as Serenoa repens, saw palmetto blocks DHT effects and balances hormones. Give it six weeks to work. Over the years, there have been dozens of studies on saw palmetto involving thousands of men with varying results. Many have shown that the herb works to optimize prostate health. Other studies have produced negative results.

My bottom line is that I've found the herb effective in helping to promote healthy prostate function in older men. I also think it's a lot safer than drugs, and research agrees that it's very safe. In fact, in the most recent analysis (conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and published in the Journal of Urology in April, 2013) doses of saw palmetto three times higher than typical, taken for 18 months, produced "no evidence of toxicity" of any kind. (Take 160 mg, 2x day).

Other herbs can also help prostate health by balancing inflammation and hormone function. These include:

2. Boswellia
Boswellia (Boswellia serrata), also known as frankincense, is one of my favorite herbs. It balances several key immunemodulating enzymes, which can leave your prostate feeling a lot less twitchy!

3. Nettle
Given its name, Nettle (Urtica dioica) might be the last plant you would think of using to settle down your prostate. But this is another must for anyone who wants to help their prostate through herbal approaches.

Nettle is rich in beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol that has hormone-balancing effects. So, like saw palmetto, it helps optimize prostate health. It does this by:

• Blocking the binding of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) to the prostate.
• Inhibiting aromatase, an enzyme that affects the body's testosterone metabolism.
• Inhibiting adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity of prostate tissue.

Nettle is a very powerful ingredient and one that is key for an optimized prostate health formula. (Use a strong 10:1 extract.)

4. Beta-Sitosterol
Double-blind clinical studies have found that betasitosterol improves urinary flow in men, and that is big news for any man who feels like he must constantly go to the restroom, or who feels like his bladder doesn't fully empty after each trip.

5. Sesamin
This comes from the sesame plant, and has been shown to block the activity of a protein complex called NF-KB, which promotes the growth of tumor cells.

All five of these herbals can be found in combination in a product called "Healthy Prostate" by EuroPharma.

Other Helpful Prostate Tips?

Add zinc and selenium. 
Adding daily doses of these two minerals can help maintain prostate health (both should be present at these amounts in a good multivitamin)—and may boost the effectiveness of saw palmetto. In one study, German researchers measured blood selenium levels in 21 men with prostate problems and found their blood levels "significantly lower than the recommended normal range." They recommend selenium supplementation to help optimize prostate health. (Take 15 mg zinc, 1x day. 50 mcg selenium, 1x day.)

Regular exercise: protection against prostate cancer.
Research shows that regular exercise can contribute to optimal health of the prostate gland, and may help lower the risk of developing prostate cancer. I recommend a 30-60 minute daily walk outdoors. Not only do you get a workout, you also get a nice dose of healthy vitamin D—a vitamin that in one recent study was associated with lower levels of prostate cancer (July 2012 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism).

Source: http://www.totalhealthmagazine.com/articles/vitamins-and-supplements/prostate-got-you-on-the-run.html

MEN - 13 important facts about prostate health

Thirteen user friendly facts and tips about the prostate

All men need to know about the prostate.

1. It keeps sperm healthy

Located just below the bladder, the prostate is a walnut-sized gland found only in men. The urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis, runs through it. Its main role is to produce prostatic fluid to provide nutrients for sperm.

2. STIs can cause prostate infection

Prostatitis, inflammation or infection of the prostate, mainly affects men under 40 and can develop from a urinary tract infection. Symptoms can include pain when urinating and ejaculating and pelvic pain. The cause can be anything from bacteria to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as gonorrhoea or chlamydia. It can be treated with antibiotics.

3. Prostatitis may link to cancer

Evidence suggests men who have had prostatitis may be more at risk of developing prostate cancer. The inflammation, especially combined with a lack of vitamin D, may encourage the cancer to develop.

4. Vitamin D is good for prostate health

Good genital hygiene and condoms can help prevent urinary tract infections and prostatitis. There is also increasing evidence that vitamin D promotes resistance to infections.

5. The prostate can enlarge with age

At least 60 per cent of men over 60 have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate. Symptoms include difficulty urinating and needing the toilet often. If symptoms are mild, no treatment is needed, but in severe cases, medication to shrink the gland or surgery can improve quality of life.

6. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men

One in nine men develop prostate cancer, about 20,000 are diagnosed annually in Australia and 3300 die from it. Almost two-thirds of those diagnosed are older than 65. Men of Afro-Caribbean descent have an increased risk, as do those who have a close relative with the disease. Having an STI at a young age can also be a risk factor.

7. Genes can play a part in prostate cancer

Up to 10 per cent of prostate cancer cases have an inherited component. For example, the BRCA2 gene, which can cause breast cancer in women, is also associated with prostate cancer.

8. Prostate cancer can be symptomless

Although some men have lower back or hip pain, prostate cancer may have few or no signs in the early stages. A PSA blood test checks whether levels of prostate-specific antigen, a chemical made by the gland, are raised, which may indicate cancer. In advanced prostate cancer the sufferer may experience bone, pelvic or back pain, weight loss and blood in the urine or semen.

9. Diagnosis of prostate cancer is improving

A new test, PCA3, measures a protein only produced by cancer cells and is about 80 per cent accurate. A definite diagnosis can be made with a biopsy.

10. Prostate cancer is often slow-growing

The challenge is to find out whether the cancer is aggressive or slow-growing as treatment can cause serious side effects, including incontinence and impotence. Most cancers are slow-growing. Post mortems show that 80 per cent of men aged 80 have cancer cells in the prostate that may have been present for 20 to 25 years and they have died of other causes.

11. Treatment for prostate cancer varies

Doctors decide on treatment based on a man's age, how aggressive the cancer appears, PSA test results and the man's attitude. Out of every 100 men diagnosed, about two-thirds have aggressive treatment. The other third opt for monitoring through regular blood tests, biopsies and digital rectal examinations.

12. There are often no side effects from prostate cancer treatment

Treatment can include removing the prostate, radiotherapy, freezing or heat treatment to destroy the gland. There is little difference in survival rates between treatments, although freezing and heating are quite new. Due to better techniques, serious side effects from treatment are less common.

13. Tomatoes are good for the prostate

Several studies show that men who eat foods containing lycopene, found in tomatoes and tomato-based foods, have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Getting enough exercise also appears to reduce the risk. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, maintain a healthy weight and don't smoke.

Source: http://man.bodyandsoul.com.au/

CANCER - 5 foods to help prevent prostate cancer

AskMen suggests 5 foods to improve your 

prostate health and help ward off cancer

There’s no hiding the fact that diet heavily influences cancer risk, no matter the type of cancer. However, knowing exactly which foods are beneficial and which ones are harmful can help to shape a diet to achieve its maximum health potential.

Considering that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Australia and the second most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer), AskMen decided to take a long, hard look at anti-prostate cancer foods. Here are a few they've shared with us.

Tomatoes

Active ingredient(s): Lycopene, an antioxidant

Why eat them? 
Lycopene is an antioxidant compound, a carotenoid, which gives tomatoes their colour. It is also one of the most widely studied anti-cancer agents. A 2004 review of all the studies to date on tomatoes found a slight reduction in the risk of developing prostate cancer in men with high blood levels of lycopene or with diets rich in tomatoes. In 2007, however, the largest study of its kind disputed these results. Fortunately, further studies of greater quality are currently underway that will hopefully put any doubt to rest. Notwithstanding those results, tomatoes are still chock-full of other beneficial vitamins and antioxidants and, thus, this little red fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) should be a part of any healthy diet.

How should you prepare them? 
When it comes to tomatoes, the general rule of thumb is to add heat and fat whenever possible. The more processed the tomatoes and the longer you cook them, the more lycopene is released. Adding fat in the way of oils or meats will also improve lycopene absorption.

Broccoli

Active ingredient(s): Sulforaphane, among others

Why eat it? 
It turns out mum was right: You should really eat your broccoli. In fact, all cruciferous vegetables, like cauliflower, kale and brussels sprouts, appear to offer anti-cancer benefits. Although it’s still not clear which of the many beneficial chemicals or compounds found in broccoli is most responsible for protecting your health, sulforaphane has been the most widely investigated. Just how does it prevent cancer? Well, sulforaphane might act as an antioxidant itself or it may instead boost detoxifying enzymes in the body. Regardless of how broccoli helps, it’s clear that it is a potent anti-prostate cancer veggie. Some experts even suggest that it’s one of the strongest anti-cancer fighters we have.

How should you prepare it? 
When it comes to the method of preparing your broccoli, there is no clear-cut champion, so try to mix things up each time you dine. Eat it raw sometimes, steamed others, and if you boil it, try not to overdo it. Mixing it with other anti-prostate cancer foods such as tomatoes may even enhance anti-cancer effects according to one study done in mice.

Soy

Active ingredient(s): Isoflavones, such as genistein, daidzein and glycitein

Why eat it? 
Soy refers to the soybean, a high-protein legume that comes in many consumer-friendly forms including soy milk, tofu and protein powder. Soyis promoted for its protective properties against many cancers, among them prostate cancer. The effects of soy are thought to be due to isoflavones, compounds that are sometimes called plant estrogens because they mimic the actions of human estrogen, but in plants. A number of laboratory, animal and population-based studies have shown soy to be an anti-prostate cancer food. However, these results still need to be confirmed in clinical trials. Even without those results, simply using soy as a replacement for meat or dairy may be beneficial on its own, since diets high in meats and dairy tend to increase the risk of certain cancers.

How should you prepare it? 
The amount of isoflavone varies by type of soy product and there is generally no rule to help you pick one product over another. Until there is, just keep meals varied and opt for soy products instead of meats and dairy from time to time.

Flax

Active ingredient(s): Lignans, and alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid)

Why eat it? 
Flax is an annual plant used in making the fabric known as linen. Although flaxseed is high in omega-3, it is also rich in lignans, a class of phytoestrogen that may act as an antioxidant. Both flaxseed and its oil have been promoted as anti-cancer substances since the early 1950s, but only recently has any solid evidence emerged. Unfortunately, only a handful of small studies have investigated the link between flax and prostate cancer in humans, but the results all look promising. Of course, further studies will be needed to definitively close the chapter on flax and cancer, but that shouldn’t keep you from getting your flax fix.

How should you prepare it? 
As far as versatility is concerned, flaxseed is certainly the most flexible of the anti-prostate cancer foods. Flaxseed is available in flour, meal and seed form and can be found in multigrain breads, cereals, breakfast bars, and even muffins. Flaxseed oil can also be found in pure liquid form or as capsules.

You are what you eat

Rigorous research takes time and money, and unfortunately, one, if not both, may be lacking. There are simply so many foods and supplements available that researching them all is not only impractical, but likely impossible. With that said, the key to preventing prostate cancer via diet is to eat a well-balanced meal, including all of the above foods, along with a hearty serving of other fruits and vegetables. You can dabble in meats and dairy, but if possible, keep your dabbling to a minimum.

Source: http://man.bodyandsoul.com.au/

CANCER - Coffee may prevent prostate cancer

Your morning latte might be doing more than pepping you up.

 

A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests men who are regular coffee drinkers may be less likely to develop fatal prostate cancer.

The researchers found men who drank six or more cups of coffee per day lowered their risk of fatal prostate cancer by up to 60 per cent. Those who drank one to three cups per day reduced their risk by 30 per cent. The reduction was the same whether the men drank decaf or regular caffeinated coffee, suggesting the cancer-preventing benefits may come from a property other than caffeine.

Coffee contains several health-boosting compounds that act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and regulate insulin, all of which may influence prostate cancer, researchers say. "Coffee has a lot of different biological effects and several of them seem like they might be relevant for prostate cancer," the lead author of the study, Kathryn Wilson told Health.com.

"It's an important source of antioxidants and also has positive effects on glucose metabolism and insulin levels, and it's thought that insulin plays a role in the progression of prostate cancer."

Coffee also appears to have an effect on levels of testosterone and other sex hormones, which "clearly play a role in prostate cancer," Wilson noted.

Regular coffee consumption has been linked with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, gallstone disease and liver cancer or cirrhosis. Plus, a recent study in Sweden reported women who drank at least five cups of coffee a day were at lower risk of developing an aggressive type of breast cancer.

The study does not show that drinking coffee directly prevents prostate cancer. And researchers do not recommend that middle-aged men (or women) begin consuming excessive amounts of coffee to combat cancer. The study does however suggest an association between coffee consumption and a lower risk.

Prostate cancer affects around 20,000 men in Australia each year, and unfortunately 3,300 will lose their battle with the disease. Men should see their doctor for annual prostate cancer checks from 50 years of age, or 40 years if a family history of prostate cancer is present.

Source: http://man.bodyandsoul.com.au/

CANCER - Diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer

One in nine men in Australia will develop prostate cancer 

in their lifetime. Treatment can include watchful waiting, 

surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy.

Prostate cancer is most common in men over 50 but younger men with a history of prostate cancer are also at risk.

A number of tests are used to diagnose prostate cancer.

These include:

• Physical examination.
• Blood test to assess the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood.
• Digital rectal examination (DRE) – your doctor will feel your prostate through your rectum to find out if there are any abnormalities.
• Prostate biopsy – tissue samples are taken and sent to a lab to find out if there are cancerous cells.
• Ultrasound, CT scan or MRI scans to see if the cancer has spread.

Treatment depends on age, general health, if the cancer has spread and, if so, by how much.

Options include:

• Active monitoring (or 'watchful waiting') – no treatment but involves regular check-ups and PSA tests.
• Surgery – a common treatment. Radical prostatectomy is when the whole prostate is removed. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is also necessary at times when part of the prostate cancer is pressing on the urethra.
• Radiotherapy – X-rays destroy cancer cells.
• Brachytherapy – radioactive seeds are placed within the prostate to kill the tumour.
• Hormone therapy – blocks the action of testosterone to slow the growth of tumours.

All treatments involve side effects.

You may be able to decrease your risk of developing prostate cancer if you:

• Quit smoking
• Eat a healthy diet with less meat and dairy
• Exercise

Source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/

CANCER - Prostate cancer warning signs

When should you go see a doctor? Dr Cindy Pan 

tells the symptoms and tell-tale signs

 

(Q) Someone I know thinks he has prostate cancer. What are the actual symptoms of prostate cancer and how is it diagnosed?

(A) Symptoms of prostate cancer can include increased frequency of passing urine, having the sensation of needing to pass urine very urgently, needing to get up to pass urine many times during the night and having difficulty starting the urine stream. These symptoms arise in prostate cancer when the prostate enlarges and this extra abnormal tissue encroaches on the urethra. The urethra is the narrow passage through which the urine travels from the bladder, through the prostate to the penis and thence to the toilet. As the urethra is pinched tighter and tighter within the enlarging prostate the urine has difficulty making its way through. Similar symptoms may be caused by another much more common prostate condition, BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy) where the prostate is also enlarged but the enlargement is non-cancerous.

Other symptoms of prostate cancer may include blood in the urine or semen, problems with erections, loss of bladder control, and bone pain in the lower back, hips or ribs (if the cancer has spread beyond the prostate to the bone).

Fortunately these days many men with prostate cancer are diagnosed well before the cancer has progressed to the point of causing symptoms. This is because they may have been tested for PSA (prostate specific antigen) by a blood test with their GP. PSA is a blood test that detects a specific protein produced by the prostate that tends to be higher when the prostate is enlarged or cancerous.
If your doctor suspects your friend may have prostate on the basis of his symptoms or PSA level or both, there are further tests required including a digital rectal examination where the doctor feels inside the back passage to check the surface of the prostate for any irregularities, swelling, hardening or other abnormalities that could be indicative of a tumour.

The diagnosis is made by doing a biopsy (taking a small tissue sample for laboratory examination) of the prostate. This is done by a specialist urologist under ultrasound guidance using a small probe inserted into the anus.
The biopsy can show whether cancer is present and if so how aggressive or advanced it is. This can help determine what treatment, if any, is required. Depending on the age, general health condition and personal preferences of the individual, as well as the stage and grade of the cancer, a doctor will decide the best treatment for the individual, bearing in mind the potential complications and adverse effects.

If you or someone you care about has any concerns regarding prostate cancer or symptoms relating to the urinary tract or sexual functioning, consult your doctor who can explain the likely possibilities as well as your options regarding further investigation and treatment.

Source: http://man.bodyandsoul.com.au/

CANCER - Prostate cancer breakthrough

This discovery may transform our 

understanding of the disease

 

Scientists in the United Kingdom have unlocked the genetic secrets of prostate tumours – the most common cancer among British and Australian men.

The breakthrough could transform the treatment of the disease which affects 35,000 men a year in the United Kingdom and kills more than 10,000. Last year in Australia almost 20,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, with more than 3,300 dying as a direct cause to the disease.

The British breakthrough raises the possibility of patients having their own ‘mutation charts’, mapping the precise flaws behind their illness and indicating the best drugs to treat them.

Dr Mike Berger, the U.S. study’s lead author, said: ‘This is a transforming moment in understanding the underlying biology of prostate cancer.’

Harvard Medical School researchers decoded the entire DNA of cancerous prostate tumours found in seven patients, before comparing the genetic sequences with those in healthy tissue, to pinpoint the defects behind the cancer.

Each tumour contained up to 5,900 small ‘spelling mistakes’ in its DNA. While this may seem a lot, it is far fewer than lung or skin cancer.

Of much more interest to the scientists was the finding that whole ‘paragraphs’ of DNA sequence were in the wrong order.

Analysis of these ‘rearrangements’ revealed genes tied to the formation and growth of the disease. Drugs that target some of these genes are already in development and could offer new hope for prostate cancer patients.

The study, reported in the journal Nature, is the first to lay bare the full genetic blueprint, or genome, of prostate cancer. Previous studies have focused on specific areas.

Dr Levi Garraway, one of the study’s authors, said it provided ‘fascinating new insights’.

He added: ‘This first whole genome view shows us tantalising evidence for several new prostate cancer genes that likely would have remained undiscovered.

‘Many of these features were invisible before. Now, we’re realising that by sequencing whole genomes in prostate cancer, there is a lot more to see.

‘These discoveries are teaching us a great deal about prostate cancer biology that we simply hadn’t appreciated previously.’

The researchers’ findings may also provide the basis for new tests for prostate cancer.

Currently, when patients are diagnosed, it is almost impossible for doctors to determine if the disease will advance quickly and therefore require aggressive treatment, or whether the tumours will remain slow-growing, necessitating a wait-and-see approach.

This leads to many men being subjected to unnecessary surgery and radiotherapy.

Source: http://man.bodyandsoul.com.au/

CANCER - Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a lump in the prostate gland created 

by abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells

 

The prostate forms part of the male reproductive system that produces fluid for semen.

Early, curable prostate cancer may not have any symptoms. If it spreads to other organs, particularly the bones and lymph nodes, it can be fatal. About 20,000 news cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in Australia every year.

Symptoms of prostate cancer aren't always apparent in early stages.

When symptoms to appear, they include:

• Difficulty passing urine, a weak flow of urine, dribbling urine, a frequent need to urinate and rarely, blood in the urine.
• Pain in ejaculation.
• Weight loss.
• Reduced libido.

It's not known why prostate cancer develops but you're more likely to develop it if you're over 50 and have a family history of the disease.

Source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/

PROSTATE CANCER - The Vitamin That Can Save Your Prostate

Another reason to be thankful winter is over and there’s some sunshine in your life: low levels of vitamin D could increase your risk of prostate cancer and the spread of the disease, a new Northwestern University study reports.

Researchers looked at vitamin D levels in the blood from 667 men between the ages of 40 and 79 with abnormal PSA or digital rectal exams of their prostate before undergoing their first biopsy. They found that severe deficiency of a measure of vitamin D—25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D)—was associated with later-stage, more-aggressive prostate cancer.

Vitamin D has been shown to slow the growth of prostate tumor cells in animal models of prostate cancer, says study author Adam B. Murphy, M.D. The vitamin also regulates the growth of new blood vessels, which is important for keeping cells in your body healthy, he says.

The healthy range of 25-OH D in your blood is 30 to 80 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) for men. On average, levels appear lower among African-American men (16.7 ng/ml) compared with European-American men (19.3 ng/ml) in the study. When D levels were drastically lower than that, African American men were at nearly 5 times more risk of aggressive prostate cancer. (European-American men were about 3½ times more at risk with severely low levels.)



One possibility is that African-Americans have more melanin in their skin, which blocks sun UV rays and prevents the creation of vitamin D, says Murphy. So depending on where you live, the color of your skin, and the weather, counting on the sun—your body’s main source of vitamin D absorption—might not cut it.

To make sure you avoid vitamin D deficiency—and protect your prostate at the same time—eat vitamin D-rich foods including salmon, tuna, portobello mushrooms, fortified milk, juice, and cereal, suggests Murphy. The National Institutes of Health recommends adults get 600 IU of vitamin D per day. Supplements are safe, says Murphy, but consult with your physician before beginning any supplementation regimen.


http://www.menshealth.com/

PROSTATE CANCER - Inflammation Linked to Lower Prostate Cancer Risk

By Bahar Gholipour, Staff Writer 

Inflammation in a man’s prostate may indicate he has a lower risk of developing prostate cancer in the future, according to a new study.

Researchers looked at signs of inflammation in prostate tissue samples from 6,200 men who were having biopsies to check for cancer. The men were between ages 50 and 75, and all had negative biopsies, indicating they were cancer-free.

At a follow-up biopsy two years later, prostate cancer was detected in 900 participants (14 percent). Men with signs of acute inflammation or chronic inflammation at the original biopsy were 25 percent or 35 percent, respectively, less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Another two years later, only acute inflammation in the original biopsy was associated with a lower prostate cancer risk, according to the study published today (Dec. 9) in the journal Cancer.

While inflammation has been linked to higher risk of some cancers, including liver cancer and colon cancer, its link with prostate cancer is under debate, the researchers said.

"Perhaps patients with inflammation could be followed up differently from those without inflammation," said study researcher Dr. Daniel Moreira, a urologist at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in New Hyde Park, New York.

Prostate cancer, the most common type of cancer in men, usually grows slowly and may not cause symptoms in its early stages. Medical organizations differ in their recommendations about how often men should get screened for the cancer.

The new results suggest that knowing the type and severity of inflammation in the prostate could help physicians decide how their patients should be followed in the future, the researchers said.

"Inflammation is important," Moreira said. The study suggests that the severity of inflammation in prostate tissue should be reported with biopsy results, but not all labs currently do this, he said.

The men in the study also underwent a test called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. PSA level is used to screen for prostate cancer because it can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. However, PSA levels can also be elevated due to other conditions that affect the prostate. The PSA levels of the study participants ranged from normal to higher levels, that could indicate a slightly higher risk of cancer, Moreira said.

Previous studies looking at the link between inflammation and prostate cancer had yielded mixed results. "There are epidemiological studies that linked some types of inflammation with having higher risk of prostate cancer. But there are other studies that looked at the pathology of prostate, and they actually saw a lower risk of prostate cancer in people with inflammation," Moreira said.

It is possible that previous studies that found a risk-boosting role for inflammation suffered from "detection bias," Moreira said, meaning that they looked at men who had symptoms of inflammation, because they were more likely to go to a physician. These men would have been more likely to undergo a cancer screening, and have their cancer detected, compared with men who didn't have inflammation, Moreira said.

It is unclear how inflammation might be related to a lower risk of prostate cancer, but it is possible that inflammation acts as an immune response when the body recognizes malignant cells as foreign agents, and eliminates them before they can become an established tumor, the researchers said.

PROSTATE CANCER - Screening Test Reduces Prostate Cancer Deaths, Study Finds

Rachael Rettner, MyHealthNewsDaily Staff Writer

Prostate cancer screening does save lives, although screening may have to be done for many years in order to provide a benefit, according to a new study.

In the study, men who were screened for prostate cancer using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test were about 30 percent less likely to die from prostate cancer over an 11-year period compared with men who were not screened.

The findings agree with those of an earlier analysis of this same group of men. Those findings, published after the men had been followed for nine years, also showed a reduced risk of death from prostate cancer in those who underwent PSA testing.

"Doctors who discuss the possibility of screening (PSA testing) with their patients can now state with more certainty that screening reduces the chance of death from prostate cancer," said study researcher Dr. Fritz Schröder, a urologist at the Erasmus University Medical Center in The Netherlands.

The findings contradict those of a study published in January, which found yearly screening for prostate does not save lives.

In addition, PSA testing comes with risks. It finds cancers that would never have been diagnosed without screening, meaning the cancers would not have gone on to cause significant health problems for patients.

The researchers estimated about half of the cancers detected in their study fell into this category. Such over diagnosis can result in unnecessary biopsies and treatments, which come with a risk of erectile dysfunction and loss of urinary control.

Many experts believe these harms can be reduced,after a screening test is done, by following an approach known as active surveillance. In active surveillance, men diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer are closely monitored, and treated only if their cancer progresses to a more aggressive form.

"Too often, men…when found they have prostate cancer, immediately think they're at risk for dying and need treatment," said Dr. Mark Soloway, a professor in the department of urology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. But it's becoming increasingly clear that for low-risk prostate cancers, "probably the best thing is to do nothing but observation," Soloway said.

Preventing prostate cancer death

The new findings are based on 162,388 men from seven European countries between ages 55 and 69. About half were invited to receive prostate cancer screening, and half were not offered screening. Most men in the screening group underwent a PSA test every four years, except those in Sweden, who received the test every two years.

During the study, 6,963 men in the screening group (9.6 percent) were diagnosed with prostate cancer compared with 5,396 men (6.0 percent) in the group not offered screening.

There were 299 deaths from prostate cancer in the screening group, compared with 462 deaths from prostate cancer in the group not offered screening.

That means that, overall, prostate cancer screening reduced men's risk of dying from prostate cancer by 29 percent, after the researchers took into account those who did not comply with the study protocol.

To prevent one death from prostate cancer over 11 years, 1,055 men need to be screened and 37 cancers would need to be detected, the researchers said.

The risk of death from any cause was similar in the two groups: there were 18.2 deaths per 1,000 men per year in the screening group, compared with 18.5 deaths per 1,000 men per year in the group not offered screening.

Older men may not benefit

"There will continue to be debate regarding the overall benefit of screenings," said Dr. Manish Vira, of the Arthur Smith Institute for Urology, part of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y., who was not involved in the study.

The study published in January, which showed no reduction in deaths from screening, involved about 76,000 men who were followed for 13 years, and screening tests that were done yearly.

Together, the research suggests screening should be done every two years, rather than every year in order to provide a benefit, Vira said.

In addition, benefits of screening don't show up for at least 10 years, Vira said.

"Therefore, older men with significant co-morbidities are unlikely to benefit from screening, and in fact, may experience significant harm," from biopsies and treatment of prostate cancer, Vira said.

Soloway said men can go ahead and get their PSA levels tested, but they should be informed about what the results mean. Just as high cholesterol levels don't necessarily mean you need to go on cholesterol-lowering drugs, a high PSA level does not necessarily mean a man needs prostate cancer treatment, Soloway said.

The study will be published tomorrow (March 15) in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Pass it on:  Prostate cancer screening conducted over 11 years may reduce the risk of death from the disease.

PROSTATE CANCER - 5 Things You Should Know About Prostate Cancer

Rachael Rettner, MyHealthNewsDaily Staff Writer

Warren Buffett, chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and the third-richest man in the world, revealed yesterday (April 17) he has prostate cancer. Buffett is one of about 240,000 men who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States this year.

Here are five things you should know about prostate cancer.

Disease of old age

Prostate cancer is most common among men over age 65, and is rarely found in men under age 40, according to the National Institutes of Health. It is the second most common cancer in men, after skin cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Autopsy studies show as many as 75 percent of men over age 85 had prostate cancer when they died, though the disease was not necessarily lethal, according to the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force.

Many prostate cancers are slow growing and will not affect a man's health or life, because men die from other causes before the cancer kills them, the task force says.

Screening is controversial

Doctors can screen for prostate cancer using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, but its use in healthy men without symptoms remains controversial. Last year, the task force recommended against routine prostate cancer screening in healthy men, saying that for those ages 50 to 69, the benefit of screening was small to none.

Studies on the topic also have conflicting results. A recent study of 76,000 men ages 55 to 74 in the United States found men who underwent yearly screening for prostate cancer were just as likely to die from the disease as those who underwent screening only if their doctor recommended it. On the other hand, a European study published last month found prostate cancer screening does save lives, but may need to be carried out for more than 10 years to have a benefit.

The American Cancer Society recommends men discuss with their doctor the pros and cons of PSA screening to make a decision about whether testing is right for them.

Overdiagnosis a problem

A major concern with PSA testing is that it finds cancers that would never have been diagnosed otherwise, meaning the cancers would not have gone on to cause significant health problems for patients. In the recent European study, about half of cancers detected by PSA tests fell into this category.

Such overdiagnosis is a problem because men may receive tests and treatment they do not need. Side effects of prostate cancer treatment include erectile dysfunction and loss of urinary control.

Monitoring rather than treating

Currently, about 10 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer delay treatment, while the remaining 90 percent receive treatments such as surgery or radiation therapy, according to the National Institutes of Health.

However, about 40 percent of men diagnosed each year, or 100,000 men in the United States, could delay treatment with a strategy called active surveillance, according to a recent NIH panel. Under active surveillance, patients with low-risk prostate cancer receive regular follow-up testing and are treated only if the cancer becomes more aggressive.

Many experts believe active surveillance is a way to reduce the harms of screening.

Reducing risks

One way to reduce prostate cancer risk is with diet. Studies show vegetarians have a lower risk of prostate cancer than men who eat meat, according to the National Institutes of Health. A nutrient called lycopene, found in tomatoes, has been consistently linked with lower prostate cancer risk, according to the Mayo Clinic. Evidence also suggests that vitamin D may lower men's risk of developing a deadly form of prostate cancer.

Exercise to maintain a healthy weight can also reduce your risk, the Mayo Clinic says. Obesity has been shown to increase the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.