Prostate Cancer Web Site Study – Trust Me Just Check It Out…

As odd as it may seem, and I must admit it seems odd to me – but a young lady is working on her Ph.D. thesis which involves Prostate Cancer Web Sites and their relevance or help to those who need information.

I was introduced to her site through Dr. Richard Wassersug, himself a Prostate Cancer survivor. Dr. Wassersug and I are to meet on Friday as I feel his work with advanced prostate cancer may be beneficial to report on and include in my forthcoming book. Before our meeting, Dr. Wassersug e-mailed me and suggested that I participate in her study.

Today I elected to do so between interviews. I am interviewing men and their partners as part of my research for the book. The questionnaire was thorough and exposed me to several sites that I had not seen before. As most who read this blog know, ranking on google, is a function of a multitude of things, not the least of which is search engine optimization, keywords, etc. Therefore, some of the sites are a bit obscure but relevant nonetheless.

SUGGESTION: Help this young lady out in her research. Take the survey – I promise it doesn’t hurt (much less painful than a biopsy). I know poor joke. But then you have to laugh every once in a while.

As you evaluate the sites you may just find something new and helpful as we (I am a prostate cancer survivor) navigate these waters together.

REQUEST: I can’t help but request that if you or your partner has had an experience with prostate cancer…contact me. I would love to interview you. ESPECIALLY PARTNERS…There is a section of my book dedicated to you…so I need to hear from you. The interviews I conduct are confidential so not to worry about issues of identity. I can be reached at chuck@chuckgallagher.com or 828.244.1400.

HERE’S THE LINK TO THE SURVEY: http://porpus.org/ Enjoy the survey and if you find something that is helpful…please come back here to comment so that others can benefit.

What We Eat, How Long We Live and Prostate Cancer – Is There A Link?

Well…I’m not sure how to approach this. I have mixed feelings cause my comments will be directed 100% at me. Hopefully as you read them you’ll understand where I’m coming from and perhaps, YES PERHAPS, you’ll do what I have chosen to do – TAKE ACTION.

You see…I am a prostate cancer survivor. I’m just a regular guy like anyone else – right now, happy to be alive. I’m one of the lucky ones – I seem to be cancer free (and hope it stays that way).

When I was first diagnosed I did what just about every man I’ve talked do did (or had his partner do), I went to the internet and researched, bought all the books I could find and tried to figure out what to do. I didn’t want to have cancer and I did want a quality of life (assuming that life was an option).

One thing I quickly read was the direct correlation between diet and prostate cancer. It seems that most Americans don’t eat real well. In other words we eat a lot of what we shouldn’t or a lot of what contributes to cancer growth. Big juicy steaks along with high fat diets don’t help when it comes to fighting or “preventing” cancer. Now, let me say…I am not sure that anyone suggests that diet along can prevent prostate cancer, but prostate cancer is lower in populations who have substantially different eating habits that do we Americans.

So to the point…

Some of my regular readers know that I am writing a book on Prostate Cancer and have been doing case research to support the book. Thus far less than 5% of the men surveyed – when asked the following question responded – YES. Here’s the question: Once you were diagnosed with Prostate Cancer did you change your diet? The follow up question is: After your treatment for Prostate Cancer did you change your diet?

Most men responded that they did not change their diet at all. In fact, recently one man stated, “Well, after I found out I had cancer it was too late. I figured then I may as well eat the damn steak, the damage was already done.”

Other men reported (and they were a minority – and frankly I would be included in this bunch) that they did change their diet before surgery (or treatment) but once they either had the prostate removed or felt they were cancer free – they (we) went back to our old eating habits. “After all,” as one man reported, “I don’t have a prostate to worry about now.”

I have to admit that writing a book and doing the related research is interesting. When doing that you find that you generally read what others have written in order to do a thoughtful and thorough job. In doing so I was reading by Sheldon Marks, M.D. entitled: Prostate and Cancer – A Family Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment and Survival. In his book the following is written that got my attention. Read it and see what you think.

I had thought David M., a successful businessman in his early 60’s with a fairly aggressive prostate cancer, understood the importance of diet and nutrition. Following a successful prostatectomy, he returned for his follow-up visit. I learned that he continued to eat a high-fat diet. He felt that as long as he took a few supplements, he was fine. He didn’t understand that supplements along weren’t going to make a difference – until the cancer returned. Following additional treatments and a change in his diet, David is doing well, with no evidence of cancer recurrence.

As I read that entry from Dr. Marks book – the words that hit me were: “until the cancer returned.” Now three and one-half years cancer free – perhaps it would be in my best interest to change my diet. I would rather be cancer free and eat right than eat poorly and hear those words said to me.

So what to eat…

Basically a Southern Mediterranean diet – per Dr. Marks: garlic, tomatoes, red wine, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, low in beef and dairy products. Likewise, fish, minimal meat, plenty of soy and green tea work as well – a Asian diet. Here’s a list of Prostate friendly foods: Herbs, Soy, Tomatoes, Red Grapes, Peas, Citrius, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Apples, Watermelon, Rosemary, Fish, Aged garlic, Green tea, Spinach, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots.

Which would you rather hear – (1) Wow…you’re looking good, must be eating healthy; or (2) I’m sorry, but your cancer has returned? Don’t know about you, but my eating habits have changed!

Some Links for you:

http://urology.jhu.edu/newsletter/prostate_cancer512.php

http://www.healthcastle.com/prostate_cancer_diet.shtml

http://www.malecare.com/prostate-cancer-diet_47.htm

http://www.malecare.com/milken’s_prostate_cancer_guide.htm

The Poster Says It All – Prostate Cancer Awareness!

250,000 Men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer this year…and next year…and the year after that!

1 in 6 Men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in their lives.

28,000 Men will die this year from Prostate Cancer.

And, Men have a 35% Greater chance of dying from Prostate Cancer than Women do from Breast Cancer.

If caught early, in most cases, it is curable! Get checked.

Thanks to DAN NEWMAN who is a Prostate Cancer survivor and works hard to promote early testing and detection! Both Dan and I found we had prostate cancer when we were in our 40’s. Get tested early…it just might save your life!

Prostate Cancer and African-American Men – Let’s Open A Can of Worms!

Today I had a wonderful opportunity to visit with my best friend. In order to frame this blog entry, let me state that I am Caucasian and he is African-American. That is irrelevant except in the context of a question that I posed to him.

Reality is – African-American men have a higher probability of developing Prostate Cancer than do Caucasian men. (As a point of reference – Asian men have the lowest rate of Prostate Cancer). Since it is medically proven that African-American males are predisposed to Prostate Cancer the question was:

Why are African-American men less inclined to have routine and early checks for Prostate Cancer – such as a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) or PSA test?

I have asked that question of two African-American men – one who had Prostate Cancer (and like myself was a survivor) and, today, my best friend.

I was surprised by their answers – which were vastly different. I am going to provide both answers without attributing authorship to either.

I suspect that once read, I may receive a ton of responses and that, frankly, is the purpose. My point here is not in any way to be racist, but rather to expose an issue and create dialogue. If we can raise awareness – especially in the African-American community – then lives will be saved and the outcome will be worth the controversy.

RESPONSE ONE: “Well, Chuck, you must put this in historical perspective. Black men were brought to this country as slaves within the past 300 years. They (black men) were treated with less respect than the land owners farm animals. Therefore, unlike their white brothers, they (Black men) were illiterate and did not receive proper medical care. They were never taught the importance of medically taking care of themselves. Therefore, my generation (both men who commented were Baby Boomers like me) has come to know the importance of having regular check ups. My father’s generation did not. Hence, when they found out it was important, it was too late. Black men are behind overall in medical care and communication of the importance of preventative maintenance and testing.”

RESPONSE TWO: “Well, Chuck, I hate to say it, but African-American men are scared. Black men, in general, are homophobic, so the thought of someone sticking a finger or anything else, for that matter, is just unacceptable. It is just note part of what the Black man’s psyche is willing to accept. The other issue is sexual performance. A Black man is more defined by his sexual performance than a white man. The idea that a prostate cancer diagnosis may leave a man impotent or even partially unable to perform is enough to cause the members of my ethnicity to avoid getting checked. Sad, but many have said to me, they would rather be able to perform and then die of prostate cancer, than have their woman leave them and live.”

QUESTION: Do either of the responses resonate as true?

I would appreciate your comments as this discussion – perhaps more than the others thus far – has the potential for raising awareness and saving lives. Not only am I interested in providing solutions, but early detection saved my life and I have an ethical and moral obligation to spread the word.

Can Sexual Activity Prevent Prostate Cancer? Wishful Thinking or Reality?

For those who are following this site, let me begin this article by saying…I wish I could give a perfect answer to the question above.  Frankly, as a guy, I would love to believe the answer is yes.  Perhaps it is wishful thinking, but the question was raised yesterday by a reader who was commenting on diet.

She (yes SHE) pointed out: “There have also been two studies (2003 and 2004) which demonstrate a correlation between a high number of ejaculations per week with a lower risk of prostate cancer. Summaries of those studies can be found here: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/resources/research-papers/sexual-expression-6358.htm Just scroll down a bit.”

I will save you the time as I have copied the relevant parts and they are printed below:

Prostate Cancer

• A 2004 prospective study of follow-up survey data conducted between 1992 and 2000 found that a history of high ejaculation frequency — = 21 ejaculations per month — was related to a decreased risk of total and organ-confined prostate cancer.  Each incremental increase of three ejaculations per week throughout a lifetime was associated with a 15-percent decrease in the risk of prostate cancer.  Study authors speculate that this relationship could be a result of ejaculations flushing potential carcinogenic substances from the prostate, or that the stress relief associated with ejaculation reduces central sympathetic nervous system activity that can cause cellular division (Leitzmann et al., 2004).

• A 2003 case-control study of Australian men younger than 70 years of age found no association between the number of sex partners or ejaculations, and an increased risk of prostate cancer.  In fact, men who recalled a high frequency of ejaculation — four or more emissions per week — in their 20s, 30s, and 40s were one-third less likely to develop prostate cancer than men who reported fewer than three emissions per week over the same period of time (Giles et al, 2003).

As part of the research for the book that is in process (Prostate Cancer related of course), I have interviewed many men and one of the questions is sexual frequency before cancer diagnosis and sexual activity following treatment.  Now for the men and women who read…please understand, it is my intent to help men and their families through this process, hence, my focus will be direct and perhaps deserves some reflection time before drawing any conclusions.

First, I have found no correlation between frequencey of sexual activity and cancer, but to be sure, I am not testing that theory so my comments are unreliable.  What I have found is that men are unwilling in the presence of their wives (or partners) to talk openly and honestly about their sexual activity.  With rare exception, men will over estimate the frequency of sexual activity when asked how often with their partner.  I suppose it is a “man thing” to want to tell others it happens more than is real.  The telling question that men will not discuss (generally) in front of their partner – is the frequency of masturbation.

So far, close to 9 times out of 10, a man – interviewed alone – will reveal that he masturbates (yes even as adults) as often if not more often than he has sexual intercourse or activity with his partner.  O.K. – interesting – so what’s the point?

Point # 1 – Assuming that one survives prostate cancer and can call themselves a prostate cancer survivor – it is critical to honestly face ones sexual activity before cancer in order to assess a realistic healing time frame and expectation following treatment.  I was told to masturbate often by my doctor.  Why masturbate?  Well, candidly the doctor told me that my wife would not likely want to make love as often as I needed to exercise my penis and re-educate the nerves that had been disturbed thru surgery.

If a man was relatively inactive before surgery, then he certainly could expect equal or greater sexual function following treatment.  Now I am no physician, but hundreds of men’s stories can’t be that off.  Sexual exercise, for lack of a better way to put it, is paramount to regaining sexual ability following treatment for prostate cancer.

Let me state clearly, that if the nerves are not spared, there will be no renewed sexual function.

Point # 2 – If the studies by Planned Parenthood are accurate, then there is no (other than from other health concerns) reason not to have an active and healthy sex life.  Without offending women readers, ladies, if the frequency that a man desires sex is incompatible with your desire, then by all means encourage him to find release through masturbation.  Better to put past the issues that some raise regarding religion, social morays and the like and focus rather on health.

As always…your comments are welcome and Amy…thanks for the great link to the Planned Parenthood article and study.

Other Links that may be of interest:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/291/13/1578

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3942-masturbating-may-protect-against-prostate-cancer.html

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/07/03/lots-of-sex-may-prevent-erectile-dysfunction.html

http://www.nativeremedies.com/articles/prostate-health-sexual-frequency.html

Prostate Cancer Prevention and Tomatoes – Is There A Link?

Today, on a social networking site I belong to, the following question was posed on a discussion board I started related to prostate cancer.   As a prostate cancer survivor and motivational speaker, I am writing a book on the many issues that men and their families face when receiving that devastating diagnosis.  Here’s the question.

My father was just diagnosed with stage 6 or 7 prostate cancer and is going to have surgery. Are there any individuals who know of dietary considerations that will help inhibit prostate cancer and help him mend post-surgery?

I found the question interesting.  As part of my research for the book I ask each interviewee the following question – “did you modify your diet after you were diagnosed with prostate cancer?”  I have to admit I am astounded by the response.  Overwhelmingly the answer is “NO!”  In fact, most of the men seem to pause before answering as if that is the first time they had ever had someone even pose such a thought to them.

AMAZING!

So, let’s go down one path for the purpose of this entry.  There is substantial evidence that tomatoes can lower prostate cancer risk.  In an article by NBC San Deigo:

While ongoing studies are still assessing the value of antioxidant supplements, food scientists say they are already comfortable advocating that men eat a more vegetable-based diet to lower their risk of prostate cancer, not to mention heart disease and colon cancer. Below, Dr. John Erdman, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, discusses how your diet, and your weight, can affect your prostate cancer risk.

There is also quite a bit of observational evidence that tomato and broccoli consumption reduces risk of prostate cancer. In the tomato products, experts are focusing on nutrients called lycopene, which is responsible for the tomato’s red color. In broccoli, there are a number of sulfur compounds that are thought to detoxify carcinogens, substances capable of causing cancer.

Let me point out that this particular article combines the “purported benefits” of lycopene, selenium, and vitamin E.  Now while this report touts the benefits of selenium and vitamin E a major research study on these two was halted stated that there was no correlation.  That will continue to be debated for years.  But back to tomatoes.

Excess oxidation in the body is harmful because it generates free radicals that can disrupt normal chemical reactions in the body. The theory is that if you oxidize DNA, you alter cell replication, which can cause normal cells to mutate into cancer cells. It is thought that many cancers are the result of an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants, and therefore, if you consume components of the food that enhance your antioxidant capacity, there is less chance for cancer development.  Ding…that means Tomatoes!

Again the NBC article states:

Data from a study of prostate cancer in animals suggest that consumption of tomato products, for example, is more advantageous than taking a lycopene supplement. Lycopene is one of the components of tomato that’s very important, but it’s not the only one. “In fact, we consume a large percentage of our vitamin C and vitamin E from tomatoes and tomato products,” says Erdman. “And there are other nutrients in tomatoes that we are also studying, such as beta-carotene.“

Here are some more questions asked in the article which I think might be of interest:

How many tomato-based products do you recommend weekly?
Seven to ten servings a week, which is only one serving a day. If you count tomato juices and raw tomatoes and pasta products, that is not hard to get. In fact, most men, particularly teenagers, when they consume pasta or even pizza, get a lot more than one serving at one time.

Does the way the tomatoes are prepared affect their impact on prostate cancer risk?
Some nutrients, particularly carotenoids like lycopene, are very poorly absorbed from raw foods, so some heating really helps. Consumption with a little fat helps, too. For example, you will only get 1 or 2 percent of beta-carotene absorption from raw carrots, but you will get much more if you lightly steam those carrots with a small amount of oil, or if it’s part of a casserole recipe. The same thing is true for tomatoes.

Can antioxidant foods prevent prostate cancer or just delay its onset?
“We don’t really know” says Erdman. “The information we have supports more of delay in the onset of the disease.” At least one out of six men has prostate cancer when they die, but that doesn’t mean they died from prostate cancer. In fact, many men will die with the early stages of prostate cancer and not even know it. So by eating more healthfully, instead of coming down with prostate cancer when you’re 65, maybe you can push it out until you’re 80. At that age, it may grow so slowly it won’t have any impact on your lifespan and you will be likely to die of something else. Likewise, when prostate cancer diagnosed in the 70s watchful waiting is not unusual at all. But if you get prostate cancer in your 50s, you’ll most likely undergo an operation to remove the prostate, and then chemotherapy or radiation.

What foods increase prostate cancer risk?
A high amount of animal food consumption, as opposed to plant food consumption, appears to increase risk. This is most likely due to high amounts of saturated fat in animal food.

Prostate Cancer Study Halted! Vitamin E and Selenium Don’t Prevent Prostate Cancer…

On October 28th the National Cancer Institute has halted its $114 million study of whether vitamin E and selenium can prevent prostate cancer.  A safety panel for the 35,000 man study halted the program when an early look at the data showed no benefit for the treatment.

According to an article in WebMD -

There were slightly more prostate cancers in men taking vitamin E alone, and slightly more diabetes in men taking only selenium. But neither finding was statistically significant, meaning they were likely due to chance.

“The data to date suggest, but do not prove, that vitamin E may slightly increase the chance of getting prostate cancer, and that selenium may increase the chance of getting diabetes mellitus,” warns a letter sent to study participants by the Southwest Oncology Group, which ran the NCI-funded study.

The letter sent to men in the study is reproduced here.

Dear SELECT Participant:

We are writing to give you important information about SELECT.

The Study leadership now has enough data to be able to tell you to stop taking the Study supplements, although SELECT will continue. We have found that it is unlikely that selenium or vitamin E will prevent prostate cancer even if you continue to take Study Supplements.

SELECT is not over. There is valuable information to be gained from your continued participation in SELECT.  We would like for you to continue to visit your study site and provide health and medical information to study staff. As one of the largest medical studies of men, the study will help us answer many critical questions about men’s health and will assist scientists in the future.

The data to date suggest, but do not prove, that vitamin E may slightly increase the chance of getting prostate cancer, and that selenium may increase the chance of getting diabetes mellitus. We want to emphasize that these findings are not proven. We will learn more about the effects of the Study Supplements as we continue to monitor your health. Your safety is our priority.

Here is what we would like you to do: Please stop taking your Study Supplements but keep your Study Supplement bottles. Bring your Study Supplement bottles and any remaining Study Supplements to your next study site visit. You may continue taking the Study Multivitamin.

You will get more information at your next study site visit. You may also visit the SELECT website, http://www.crab.org/select, for more information.

We now know that selenium and vitamin E do not prevent prostate cancer. This important public health finding is a result of your contribution to SELECT. The SELECT National Participant Advisory Board and the leadership of SELECT appreciate your ongoing commitment. We all share the same goal – to reduce the burden of cancer.

Initially it was thought that both Vitamin E and Selenium would be helpful in the prevention of prostate cancer.  Previous studies had indicated that since vitamin E and selenium, both antioxidants, might help control the cell damage caused by free radicals that can lead to cancer.  A published study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 1996  suggested prostate cancer incidences were reduced by two-thirds in men taking selenium on a daily basis.

Another study on vitamin E found a one-third reduction in prostate cancer incidence.  Selenium is a nutritionally essential element that occurs in the soil and is absorbed by our bodies through plant and animal products.  Organ means and brazil nuts are especially high in selenium. The soil of the southeastern U.S. is poor in selenium.  Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin present in foods in small quantities such as vegetable oils, nuts, vegetables, milk fat and egg yolk.

Needless to say, had the study proven the link, it would have been an easy solution to take something that is easily found over the counter.

There are those who feel that the halted study is a manipulation of data to support the medical machine.  I can’t express and opinion on that one way or the other.  What I can say is that I am here today – a PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVOR – living due to the benefits of Western medicine.  But for those who want an opposing opinion…click here.