Prostate Cancer

Factors That May Increase Your Prostate Risk

Prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in American males. It affects men in their middle-age years, which is why upon hitting their fifties men are advised to go in for annual digital rectal examinations (DRE), one of the tests done to screen men for prostate cancer.
The Importance Of Knowing Your Prostate Risk
The risk for cancers typically increases with age. However some men are at a greater risk for some cancers than others, which often means that earlier and more aggressive screening measures must be taken to reduce the risk for the disease as well as to catch the disease, if it is present, in its earlier stage. Typically, for prostate cancer, Africa-American men are advised to go in for screening once they reach 40 or 45, which is 5 to 10 years earlier compared to men who belong to other races. This is because prostate cancer has been shown to occur most often in African-American men. The same measure is taken in men with a familial history of any cancer. Knowing your prostate cancer risk can make you aware of your need for cancer screening, which can result to earlier detection and treatment.
Factors That Increase Prostate Risk
Like any other form of cancer, there is no one specific factor that causes the development of the disease. Genes, the environment, and diet are all believed to play interlinked roles in the development of the cancer in men.
Prostate risk increases with poor dietary habits, a familial predisposition to cancers, as well as exposure to environmental hazards which can cause cellular mutations. For one, men who have fathers or brothers diagnosed with prostate cancer are two to three times more likely to develop the disease themselves.
Age may also increase the prostate risk in men. The prostate normally starts to enlarge as men get older, and although an enlarged prostate does not necessarily mean that it is malignant, benign enlargement of the prostate, as seen in Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, may have similar symptoms as prostate cancer and a man with BPH may have undetected cancer at the same time.
Diet is one of the most-studied factors which contribute to the development of the cancer. Studies have revealed that a high-fat diet composed of red meats consumed at regular intervals increased the level of circulating testosterone in the body, the androgen (male hormone) responsible for stimulating the growth and reproduction of cancerous prostate cells. However, a diet high in phytoestrogens, a substance found in plants and fruits can reduce a man’s risk for developing the disease. A low-fat, low calorie vegan diet is the ideal diet for patients suffering from cancer, particularly cancer of the prostate.
The environment may also play a significant role in the development of prostate cancer. It has been shown that although the prostate risk is lower in Asian men, this risk increased once they have migrated to the US, which suggests an environmental connection. The possible exposure to pollution, industrial hazards, and infectious agents compounded by lessened sun exposure may contribute to this increase in prostate risk.
Finally, the inclusion to a particular race may also raise a man’s prostate risk. Studies have shown that the cancer is more common in some racial and ethnic groups than others, although the reason for this is not clear. Specifically, prostate cancer is more common in blacks compared to whites, and is less seen among Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans.

The Benefits of Prostate Nutrition

Sphere: Related Content

Good nutrition is always a part of a healthy lifestyle and with it we lower our risk for almost all diseases, particularly cancers. Not only is the right diet an important preventive component, it also plays an even more important role even in the presence of a disease, since the right diet can compliment medical therapy and increase its chances for success.
Prostate Nutrition To Reduce Cancer Risk
There are currently many studies being conducted to determine if prostate nutrition can reduce the risk for prostate cancer. Experts believe that good prostate nutrition is the key to reducing the risk for prostate cancer since the gland is largely affected by the body’s hormone production, particularly of testosterone, which is in turn largely affected by the type of food in the diet.
Components Of Prostate Nutrition
Nutrition strategies to reduce the risk for prostate cancer are now being advocated by many health care practitioners. The first step in prostate nutrition typically involves switching to a low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian diet. This means getting rid of saturated fats and oils, processed meats and sugars, as wells as lowering one’s caloric intake if overweight. Lowering meat intake or getting rid of meats from the diet may also be recommended for individuals with a high prostate risk. Strong evidence suggest that a high-fat, meat-based diet can increase the production of testosterone, the androgen believed to stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. Doctors also recommended the consumption of vegetables rich in lycopene like tomatoes and watermelons because lycopene is a powerful antioxidant.
Prostate nutrition also involves the supplementation of essential vitamins and minerals which may be found in inadequate amounts in food sources, like selenium or Vit. E. Other supplements may also be incorporated into prostate nutrition to reduce the risk of prostate enlargement. Good examples are saw palmetto, flaxseed oil, Vitamin E at 400IU per day, and Vit. B6 at 100 mg per day. Saw palmetto has been shown to be effective in reducing prostate symptoms in clinical tests because it destroys cancerous cells. However, new research has shown that it might cause damage to healthier prostate cells, which is why it is advised that saw palmetto only be consumed by patients with prostate cancer and not by patients with benign prostatic growths. Vitamin B and E are powerful antioxidants. Animal studies have shown that flax seed consumption led to a slower progression of the disease and an even lower risk of metastasis. This is because lignans, which are phytoestrogens, bind to testroterone, reducing the number of circulating active testosterone in the body.
Changes in the diet can even have positive effects in cases of advance prostate cancer. According to one study which was composed of men who were previously operated on for prostate cancer but experienced a recurrence in the disease, a macrobiotic diet composed of whole grains, vegetables, and legumes with restricted intake of meat and dairy products increased the average survival rate to 228 months compared to the survival rate of 72 in men who were not in any kind of special prostate nutrition plan.