Prostate
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Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the #1 cause of cancer death in male non-smokers.  A man's lifetime risk of death from prostate cancer is estimated at 3% to 4% while his lifetime risk of diagnosis of prostate cancer is 16.7%.  Fortunately, the large majority of prostate cancer deaths occur after age 65, so the years of life lost due to prostate cancer is somewhat less than its prevalence would suggest.

There are many lifestyle modifications and some supplements which considerably reduce the risk.  Screening PSA tests only have to be done every 4-5 years in men with low test results, although low results don't guarantee the absence of cancer.  Most men following good health habits should fall into this group.  Unfortunately, most men don't follow good health habits. 

Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy is covered below after cancer.  

Aggressive Treatment After Age 65 Painful and Wasteful: In a 12-year follow-up study of 44,630 prostate cancer patients ages 65-80, those who opted for observation had a 2.4% death rate from prostate cancer vs. a 19% death rate for those who received aggressive treatment with surgery and/or radiation.  Although those with aggressive treatment were supposedly "30% less likely to die" (actually 21%), this means that only one in every 200 patients going through aggressive treatment actually benefitted from it.  The number of years of life added to this one person is unreported, but it is likely to be quit low, since overall life expectance in this group is short.  The cost of 200 aggressive treatments in financial terms is well over $2 million, while the human terms of 200 men undergoing hospitalization and suffering is equally high. J Amer Med Assoc 12/13/07.

Prostate #1 Cancer in Incidence & #3 in Mortality: 147 males/100,000 per year (189,000) develop prostate cancer, just ahead of female breast (113), making it #1 not counting near-benign skin cancers. The death rates are 49.3/100,000 for lung, 25.7 female breast, and 23.7 male prostate (30,000) with colo-rectal at 17.4, ovary 7.9, NHL 6.9, leukemia 6.4, bladder 3.3, uterus 3.2, and melanoma 2.5 for whites. The patterns were similar for other ethic groups although the rates were much lower except in blacks who were somewhat higher. J Natl Ca Inst 4/21/99

PSA Screening Reduces Prostate Cancer Death: 46,486 Quebec men aged 45-80 years were randomized in 1988 between PSA screening and no screening. Seventy-four (74) deaths from prostate cancer occurred in the 14,231 unscreened controls while 10 deaths were observed in the screened group of 7,348 men during the first 11 years following randomization. Age at death from prostate cancer shows a 62% reduction of cause-specific mortality in the screened men (P = 0.005). Prostate. 2004 May 15;59(3):311

Prostate Screening: Benefits not proven. Men with PSAs greater than 2.0 are 12 times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer over the next 10 years vs. compared to men with PSAs less than 1.0. It is recommended to start getting the PSA test at age 50 and every two years after that with once a year if over 2.0 and biopsy if over 4.0. Between 4.1-5.0, 89% cancers are still curable. K Ross, JAMA 9/20/00.

PSA Home Testing $40: Mail off kit collecting 3 drops of blood via http://www.prostatecancer-tests.com/

PSA Less Often: If a man's initial PSA reading is between zero and one, he can wait five years before having another test. If the reading is between one and two, he can wait two years before another test. Those whose readings are between two and four should continue to have annual tests. If followed, the study results will mean less testing for the majority of men. The study was conducted on 27,863 men between ages 55 and 74, and 55% had initial PSA readings under two. U Colo. Orlando AP 5/21/02. between 4 and 10, experts say there is about a 40% chance the man has prostate cancer. Over 20, the risk is virtually 100 percent. Between zero and 1, 98.7% will still have a reading under four when tested again five years later. For those with readings between one and two, 98.8% will still be under four when tested two years later. Similar: BJU Int. 2003 Dec;92 Suppl 2:48-54

PSA Fluctuates: Of the 154 men who had an elevated PSA (4 ng/ml or higher) on one of the early tests, 30% returned to a normal level a year later. Similar numbers were found when the researchers used other criteria to define "abnormal" (such as using a lower cut-off level of 2.5 ng/ml or using an age-based PSA cut-off). Overall, nearly half the men who had an abnormal PSA value by any of the criteria returned to a normal level. JAMA 6/9/03

Digital Rectal Exam Helps Cancer: Retrospective case control study finds a digital rectal exam in the 10 years before diagnosis cut the risk of dying from prostate cancer in half with an RR 0.51 of dying from cancer. Urology 98:52:173

Screening No Benefit in Seattle: Seattle does two times the testing as Connecticut, double the biopsies, substantially higher radical surgery, etc. but no difference in Prostate cancer mortality after 11 years. BMJ 10/4/02.

Low PSA Men Often Had "Hidden" Cancers: Of 18,882 men ages 62-91 enrolled in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, 9,459 were randomized to receive placebo and had an annual measurement of PSA and a digital rectal examination. Of these, 2,950 men, who had never had a PSA level of more than 4.0 ng/mL or an abnormal digital rectal examination result, had a final PSA determination, and had a prostate biopsy after being in the study for seven years. Of the 2,950 men, 449 (15.2%) were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Of these 449 cancers, 67 (14.9%) had a Gleason score of 7 or higher, i.e., high grade cancer. Prostate cancer prevalence was 6.6% among men with a PSA level of 0.5 ng/mL or less, 10.1% for values of 0.6 to 1.0 ng/mL, 17.0% for values of 1.1 to 2.0 ng/mL, 23.9% for those with values of 2.1 to 3.0 ng/mL, and 26.9% for values of 3.1 to 4.0 ng/mL. The percentage of cancers which were high-grade cancers increased from 12.5% for PSA levels of 0.5 ng/mL or less (0.8% of the men testing this low) to 25.0% for PSA levels of 3.1 to 4.0 ng/mL (6.7% of the men testing this high). N Engl J Med. 2004;350:2239-2246, 2292-2294

Genetics

Abnormal Gene Linked to Aggressive Cancer: CYP3A4 codes for protein Cyp3a4. Variant CYP3A4-V in 46% men with stage T3/T4 but only 5% with T1 stage. J Natl Cancer Inst ’98 90:1225-9.

Anti-oxidants Help MnSOD AA Variant Men Stop Prostate Cancer: In a study of over 1,000 men, the 25% carrying the AA gene variant of MnSOD gene were more susceptible to prostate cancer if their antioxidant levels were low. If these men get adequate antioxidants from food and possibly from supplements, they seem to be even more likely to benefit from the nutrients' cancer fighting properties than other men. Increased levels of selenium, vitamin E and the tomato pigment lycopene greatly reduced prostate cancer risk. The effect was weak in men who carried other variants (VV or VA) of the MnSOD gene, however. Previous research in breast cancer has linked similar interactions between variations in the MnSOD gene and dietary antioxidant. Haojie Li, Harvard, Cancer Research 4/05

EZH2 Protein Very Active in Invasive Metastatic Prostate Cancer: While not knowing the function of the gene’s protein, the EXH2 protein is a better predictor of lethality than PSA. U Mich, Nature 10/10/02; It is also active in invasive breast cancer and predicts earlier death. 9/8/03

Tallness, Family History Factors: 22,000 MDs in a Harvard study found three categories of height: under 5 ft. 10 inches, between 5 ft. 10 and 5 ft. 11 and taller than 5 ft. 11. Meeting in San Diego of American College of Preventive Medicine. Tallness raised risk of prostate cancer by 23-43%, but only over age 50. Men with a family history of prostate cancer have an increased risk of 200 to 300 percent, Gaziano. No relationship BMI or weight found.

RB2 Tumor Suppressor Gene Changed in Prostate Cancer: Rb2, a tumor suppressor gene, has a lower expression in the prostate as it progresses from normal to cancerous, Antonio Giordano, Sbarro Institute. The lack of this tumor suppressor gene can, in a certain sense, be an indicator of tumor progression in the prostate gland. A link between the Rb2/p130 and prostate cancer, Temple. 6/02 Clinical Cancer Research.

Macraphage Scavenger Receptor 1 Gene Defect Linked: Several different mutations of MSR1 gene found in families with hereditary prostate CA and much less frequently (1/6th) in families without. Nature Genetics 10/02, Wake Forest Univ & Hopkins. Suggests that macrophages that were less effective in stopping infection predispose to prostate CA.

40% Men over 50 Have Abnormal DNA: 40% of men older than 50 the DNA of the prostate is damaged and closely resembles that found in the DNA of prostate cancer; readily be identified using biopsy tissues; believed to indicate a high risk for prostate cancer, Dr. Donald C. Malins of the Pacific Northwest Research Institute in Seattle. Damage to prostate DNA increases with age and that free radicals are likely contributing factors. DNA from prostate tumor biopsies could be used to signal whether a prostate cancer has begun to metastasize. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online 4/16/03

Dietary Factors in Prostate Cancer

Calcium, Dairy Increase Prostate Cancer Risk: In a 10-year prospective study of 3612 men in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Epidemiologic Follow-up Study, 131 prostate cancer cases developed. Compared with men in the lowest third for dairy food intake, men in the highest third had a 120% higher risk (RR = 2.2; P = 0.05). Low-fat milk was associated with 50% increased risk, but whole milk was not. Dietary calcium was also strongly associated with 120% increased risk (RR = 2.2; trend P = 0.001). After adjustment for calcium intake, neither vitamin D nor phosphorus was clearly associated with risk. Dairy, calcium, and vitamin D intakes and prostate cancer risk in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Epidemiologic Follow-up Study cohort. Tseng M, Breslow RA, et al. Philadelphia, PA. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 May;81(5):1147-54.

Calcium Increases Risk of Fatal Prostate Cancer: Higher milk intake has been relatively consistently associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, especially advanced prostate cancer. In the Health Professionals Follow-up Study of 47,750 male health professionals followed for 16 years, there were 3,544 new cases of prostate cancer, 523 advanced (extraprostatic) cases, and 312 fatal cases. Higher calcium intake was not appreciably associated with total or nonadvanced prostate cancer but was associated with a higher risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer; those with intakes of 1,500-1,999 mg/d had an 87% higher risk; and those with > or = 2,000 mg/d had a 143% higher risk; P(trend) = 0.003]. Dietary calcium and supplementary calcium were independently associated with an increased risk. A prospective study of calcium intake and incident and fatal prostate cancer. Giovannucci E, et al. Harvard. .  Cancer Epidemiol Biomarker 2006 Feb;15(2):203-10. Ed: This huge study provides very strong evidence.

Calcium Supplement Safe for Men in Smaller, Shorter Study: In a 4-year DB PC study of 672 men with a 12 year follow-up, there were 33 prostate cancer cases in the calcium 1200 mg/d group and 37 with placebo [RR 0.83; not significant]. Most cases were not advanced; during the first 6 years, there were significantly fewer cases in the calcium group (RR 0.52). The calcium risk ratio for conversion to PSA >4.0 ng/mL was 0.63. Baseline dietary calcium intake, plasma 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D and 25-(OH) vitamin D levels were not materially associated with risk. Risk of prostate cancer in a randomized clinical trial of calcium supplementation. Baron JA, Beach M, et al. Dartmouth. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Mar;14(3):586-9. Ed: This study is one-fifteenth the size in person-years of the above Philadelphia study. 

Dairy, especially Skim, Increases Prostate Cancer: Calcium in milk products protects against colon cancer, while promoting cancer in the prostate through suppression of circulating levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Mutat Res 2000 Apr;462(2-3):227-33. For 28 countries with more than five Kcal/day of tomatoes in the consumer supply, a linear combination of non-fat milk (risk factor) and tomatoes (risk reduction factor) was found to have the highest statistical association with prostate cancer mortality rates for men over the age of 35, with the Pearson regression coefficient (R2) for those aged 65-74 years = 0.67 and p < 0.001. For the 13 countries with fewer than six Kcal/day of tomatoes, non-fat milk had the highest association (R2 = 0.92, p < 0.001 for men aged 65-74 years). For 41 countries combined, the non-fat portion of milk had the highest association with prostate cancer mortality rates (R2 = 0.73). Altern Med Rev 1999 Jun;4(3):162-9. A significantly increased risk of prostate cancer was associated with skim milk as compared to whole milk. Int J Cancer 1997 Nov 27;73(5):634-8

Dairy: Milk, Cheese, Meat Bad: The incidence and mortality rates of testicular and prostatic cancers in 42 countries were correlated with the dietary practices. Cheese was most closely correlated with the incidence of testicular cancer at ages 20-39, followed by animal fats and milk. This was especially true for maternal and prepubertal consumption. Concerning prostatic cancer, milk was most closely correlated (r = 0.711) with its incidence, followed by meat and coffee. Stepwise-multiple-regression analysis identified milk + cheese as a factor contributing to the incidence of prostatic cancer (R = 0.525). The food that was most closely correlated with the mortality rate of prostatic cancer was milk (r = 0.766), followed by coffee, cheese and animal fats. Stepwise-multiple-regression analysis revealed that milk + cheese was a factor contributing to mortality from prostatic cancer (R = 0.580). Incidence and mortality of testicular and prostatic cancers in relation to world dietary practices. Ganmaa D, Li XM, Wang J, Qin LQ, Wang PY, Sato A. Yamanashi, Japan. Int J Cancer. 2002 Mar 10;98(2):262-7

Beans, Lentil, Tomato, Raisin, Pea Good: A 6 year follow-up study of 14,000 7th Day Adventists found consumption of beans, lentils and peas, tomatoes, raisin, dates, and other dried fruit were all associated with significantly decreased prostate cancer risk. Cancer 1989 Aug 1;64(3):598-604

Finasteride Lowers Risk 25% But Not Worth It: NEJM 7/17/03. In a 6 year DB PC study of 9,060 men with initially normal PSAs, five deaths occurred in both finasteride and placebo groups but there were fewer positive biopsies with the medication. Medication side-effects include erectile difficulty and loss of sex interest.

Fish, Tofu, Natto Good; Meat Bad: Prostate cancer is low in Japan. Average daily intake of food from 5 years before the diagnosis was measured in 140 cases and 140 controls. The odds ratios (ORs) of the fourth vs. first quartile were 0.45 for fish, 0.53 for all soybean products, 0.47 for tofu, and 0.25 for natto. Consumption of fish and natto showed significantly decreasing linear trends for risk (P < 0.05). Consumption of meat was significantly associated with increased risk (the OR of the second vs. first quartile was 2.19). Consumption of milk, fruits, all vegetables, green-yellow vegetables, and tomatoes showed no association. A case-control study of diet and prostate cancer in Japan: possible protective effect of traditional Japanese diet. Sonoda T, Nagata Y, Mori M, Miyanaga N, Takashima N, Okumura K, Goto K, Naito S, Fujimoto K, Hirao Y, Takahashi A, Tsukamoto T, Fujioka T, Akaza H. Sapporo Medical University. 

Fish Good: 47882 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study were followed for 12 years.  2482 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed, of which 617 were advanced including 278 metastatic prostate cancers. Eating fish more than three times per week was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer, and the strongest association was for metastatic cancer (multivariate relative risk, 0.56 compared with infrequent consumption, i.e., less than twice per month). Intake of marine fatty acids from food showed a similar but weaker association. Each additional daily intake of 0.5 g of marine fatty acid from food was associated with a 24% decreased risk of metastatic cancer. A prospective study of intake of fish and marine fatty acids and prostate cancer. Augustsson K, Michaud DS, Rimm EB, Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Giovannucci E. Harvard Medical. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003 Jan;12(1):64-7

Fish Substitute: High Flax Diet Prevents Prostate Cancer in Mice: 5% flax diet helped genetic variant mice with high propensity to prostate cancer. 11/02 Urology.

Ibuprofen, Aspirin Help: Mayo study of 1362 men 60 and over with 5 ½ year follow-up found 50% lower prostate cancer with ibuprofen or aspirin (4% vs. 9%). 3/12/02 Reuters. These also help colon and breast CA.

Lycopene No Benefit in Dutch Prospective Study. Carotenes Helped: 58,279 men 55-69yo in 1986. After 6.3 years of follow-up, 642 incident prostate carcinoma cases. 150-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Positive association with prostate cancer for beta-cryptoxanthin RR = 1.00 (ref), 0.94, 1.01, 1.16, 1.41; p-trend < 0.01. For intake of retinol, vitamins C and E and other carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin) no effect on overall prostate cancer risk was found. RRs for vitamin supplement use were decreased, but not significantly. Among nondrinkers, nonsignificant inverse associations were observed for intake of retinol, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene (RRs, highest vs lowest quintile, were 0.23, 0.60, and 0.76, respectively). Among drinkers, beta-cryptoxanthin was positively associated (RR highest vs lowest quintile = 1.40). Maastrich Univ. A prospective cohort study on intake of retinol, vitamins C and E, and carotenoids and prostate cancer risk (Netherlands). Schuurman AG, Goldbohm RA, Brants HA, van den Brandt PA. Cancer Causes Control 2002 Aug;13(6):573-82

Lycopene Helped: Using the Physicians Study with 13 years of follow-up, 578 men who developed prostate cancer were matched with 1200 controls. Lycopene intake (tomatoes) was the only food to differentiate and had a definite beneficial role especially decreasing more aggressive cases. Stampfer, M.J. Cancer Research. 1999, Mar 15, v59, n6, p1225-1230.

Onions, Vitamin D from Sunlight Linked to Lower Prostate Cancer; Meat Bad: Prostate cancer mortality rates for 32 European ethnic countries found the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer mortality was animal products, with the nonfat portion of milk and alcohol being a somewhat weaker risk factor; the strongest risk reduction factors were onions, other protective vegetable products (excluding alcohol, oils, and sweeteners), and solar UV-B radiation.  A multicountry ecologic study of risk and risk reduction factors for prostate cancer mortality. Grant WB. Eur Urol. 2004 Mar;45(3):271-9. 

Onions, Garlic, Scallions All Good: In a population-based, case-control study conducted in Shanghai, China, of the intake of allium vegetables, including garlic, scallions, onions, chives, and leeks, and the risk of prostate cancer from 238 prostate cancer vicitms and from 471 controls, men in the highest of three intake categories of total allium vegetables (>10.0 g/day) had a statistically significantly lower risk (odds ratio [OR] = 0.51; P<.001) of prostate cancer than those in the lowest category (<2.2 g/day). Similar comparisons between categories showed reductions in risk for men in the highest intake categories for garlic (OR = 0.47) and scallions (OR = 0.30). Allium vegetables and risk of prostate cancer: a population-based study. Hsing AW, Chokkalingam AP, Gao YT, Madigan MP, Deng J, Gridley G, Fraumeni JF Jr. U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Pickled Vegetables, Fermented Soy, Salted Fish, Preserved Meat Bad: Preserved foods have been found in some studies to be associated with increased cancer risks. In a case-control study in southeast China covering 130 confirmed cases and 274 inpatient controls without malignant disease, the total amount of preserved food consumed was positively associated with cancer risk, the adjusted odds ratio being 7.05 for the highest relative to the lowest quartile of intake. In particular, the consumption of pickled vegetables, fermented soy products, salted fish and preserved meats was associated with a significant increase in prostate cancer risk, all with a significant dose-response relationship. Do preserved foods increase prostate cancer risk? Jian L, Zhang DH, Lee AH, Binns CW.  Perth, Australia. Br J Cancer. 2004 May 4;90(9):1792-5

Red Wine Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk: In a case-control study of 753 newly diagnosed prostate-cancer patients vs. 703 healthy controls all ages 40-64, men who consumed 4-8 four-oz. glasses of red wine per week reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 50% (60% for more aggressive types of prostate cancer). No significant effects were found with beer, hard liquor, or with white wine. Resveratrol, which is abundant in the skins of red grapes, peanuts, raspberries, and a dietary supplement but much less so in the skins of white grapes may be the factor. It is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, reduces cell proliferation, and enhances apoptosis. Diet, family history of cancer, screening for prostate cancer and tobacco use were adjusted for. In the less detailed Netherlands Cohort Study, white and fortified wines, but not red wine, increased prostate cancer, although there was not a consistent trend with levels of intake. For red wine, there was an 18% reduction in risk. Janet L. Stanford, Seattle, International Journal of Cancer 10/04.

Soybean, Rice, Wheat, and Vegetables Linked to Reduced Risk: In a case-control study of 237 prostate carcinoma cases with 481 controls, the multivariable logistic regression analysis showed a significant 33% reduced risk with soybean products, rice, wheat protein and other vegetables (OR=0.67). This beneficial effect presented for men with body mass index (BMI) </=25 kg m(-2) (OR=0.50) but not for men with greater BMI. The OR of prostate carcinoma for men with BMI </=25 kg m(-2) was 1.74, compared with men with a higher BMI. Other significant risk factors associated with the disease included higher income (OR=2.40), physical activity (OR=1.75), being married (OR=2.49) and coffee consumption (OR=1.88). Stratified analysis also showed that the consumption of fish/shellfish had an adverse association for men with higher BMI. Diet, vegetarian food and prostate carcinoma among men in Taiwan. Chen YC, et al. Chia Nan University, Tainan, Taiwan. British Journal of Cancer, 4 October 2005 epub.

Soy Milk Decreased Prostate Cancer: A prospective study with 225 incident cases of prostate cancer in 12,395 California Seventh-Day Adventist men who in 1976 stated how often they drank soy milk. Frequent consumption (more than once a day) of soy milk was associated with 70 per cent reduction of the risk of prostate cancer (relative risk = 0.3). Cancer Causes Control 1998 Dec;9(6):553-7

Soy Linked to Decreased Prostate Cancer: Soy linked to lower prostate cancer in Asians moving to US. Cancer Epidem Biomarkers Prev 2000;9:795-804

Veggies: High Fruit-Vegetable, Low Fat Diets Didn’t Help PSA: 661 men randomly assigned to a 4 year diet modification. Diet didn’t help lower PSA. Sloan Kettering. J Clin Oncol 2002 Sep 1;20(17):3592-8.

Vitamin D: Doctors Are Low in Vitamin D; Vitamin D Helps Prevent Prostate Cancer: During 18 years of follow-up of 14,916 physicians in the Physicians Health Study initially free of cancer, 1,066 developed prostate cancer (including 496 with aggressive disease. Among these US physicians, the median plasma 25(OH)D levels (inactive vitamin D) were 25 ng/ml in the winter or spring and 32 ng/ml in the summer or fall. Nearly 13% (summer/fall) to 36% (winter/spring) of the control participants were deficient in 25(OH)D (<20 ng/ml) and 51% (summer/fall) and 77% (winter/spring) had insufficient plasma 25(OH)D levels (<32 ng/ml). Men whose levels for both 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D were below (versus above) the median had a 110% increased risk of aggressive prostate. Men who had low 25(OH)D levels and the less functional FokI ff vitamin D receptor genotype (14% of men) had 90% increased risks of and 150% increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer compared to better genotypes. Among men with plasma 25(OH)D levels above the median, the ff genotype was no longer associated with risk with a significant 60% approximately 70% lower risks of total and aggressive prostate cancer. A Prospective Study of Plasma Vitamin D Metabolites, Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms, and Prostate Cancer. Li H, et al. Harvard. PLoS Med 2007 Mar 20;4(3):e103. Ed: Numerous studies suggest that all adults should take 2000 units of vitamin D a day.  This costs about $2 a month. Vitamin D lowers the risk of 17 types of cancer as well as many autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Other Factors

Ejaculatory Frequency Decreases Risk: Ejaculation frequency (which includes sexual intercourse, nocturnal emission, and masturbation) and risk of prostate cancer in the eight year Health Professionals Follow-up Study of 29,342 men in the U.S., aged 46 to 81 years, was associated with a decreased risk of Prostate cancer. There were 1,449 new cases of total prostate cancer, 953 organ-confined cases, and 147 advanced. These associations were not explained by potential risk factors for prostate cancer, such as age, family history of prostate cancer, history of syphilis or gonorrhea, smoking, and diet. Michael F. Leitzmann, et al. National Cancer Institute, JAMA. 4/8/2004;291:1578-1586

Masturbation Decreases Prostate Cancer: Graham Giles, Melbourne, BJU Internatl 92:211, 2003, studied 1,079 men with prostate cancer vs. 1,259 healthy men. The more men ejaculated between ages 20-50, the less likely they were to develop prostate cancer. A higher number of sex partners increases the risk, as other studies have found. Largest benefit for increased ejaculations was in the 20s.

Height and Insulin-like Growth Factor Linked to Prostate Cancer: Ht and IGF-1 increase together and are associated with increased risk. Eur J Cancer Prev 2000 Jun;9(3):173-8

Treatment

Lycopene Supplement Helps After Orchiectomy: M. S. Ansari and N. P. Gupta, All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, studied 54 patients with histologically confirmed metastatic prostate cancer. They were randomized to orchidectomy alone or orchidectomy immediately followed by lycopene 2 mg twice daily. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels fell from 250.7 ng/mL at baseline to 9.1 ng/mL at 6 months and 3.0 ng/mL at 2 years with added lycopene. Corresponding figures in the orchidectomy alone group were 259.7 ng/mL, 26.4 ng/mL and 9.0 ng/mL. There also was a significant improvement in peak urinary flow with lycopene. Furthermore, 22% of the lycopene group died versus 35% of those in the orchidectomy alone group. BJU Int 2003;92:375-378.

Milk Thistle May Decrease Prostate, Breast Cancer: Several studies have shown the cancer chemopreventive and anti-carcinogenic effects of silymarin, a flavonoid antioxidant isolated from milk thistle, in long-term tumorigenesis models and in human prostate, breast and cervical carcinoma cells. Cancer Lett 1999 Dec 1;147(1-2):77-84. These effects of silymarin are thought due to the major active constituent, silibinin.   

Selenium Helps Stop Cancer: Measuring selenium in toenail clippings of men with advanced prostate cancer vs. 181 matched controls – all from Health Professionals follow-up Study, found men in highest quintile vs. lowest quintile had RR .49 and only .35 after controlling for family history, BMI, geography, vasectomy, and diet. J Natl Cancer Inst 8/19/98 90:1219-24

Selenium Decreases Cancer in DB: A University of Arizona study of 987 males for 4.5 years found 63% lower incidence of prostate cancer (13 vs. 35 cases) as well as lower mortality with decreases in lung, colorectal and total cancer. Br J Urol 1998 May;81(5):730-4. Also in JAMA 1996;276:1957-63 reporting 50% less colon cancer and 40% less lung cancer in addition to prostate.

Vitamin D: PSA Rise Markedly Slowed: When local treatments for prostate cancer fails, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) rises in the absence of symptoms. Calcitriol has been shown to prolong the doubling time of PSA using near-toxic doses. Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) 2,000 IU/d, a biochemical precursor of calcitriol, in 15 patients resulted in 9 of the patients having PSA levels decreased or unchanged  for as long as 21 mo. The rate of PSA rise slowed after administration of cholecalciferol (P = 0.005) compared with that before cholecalciferol: a doubling time of 14.3 months prior to 25 mo after starting cholecalciferol. Only 1 failed to have an increase in PSA doubling time. There were no side effects reported Pilot study: potential role of vitamin D (Cholecalciferol) in patients with PSA relapse after definitive therapy. Woo TC, Choo R, et al. Toronto-Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, Canada. Nutr Cancer. 2005;51(1):32-6.

Vitamin D Drug Lengthens Survival: Nick James, University of Birmingham, said the drug Asentar by Novocea had produced impressive results in preliminary phase two trials.  He said patients taking the drug lived for an average of an extra nine months longer than those taking another chemotherapy drug - taxotere - alone. On average, patients in the advanced stage of the disease survive about 18 months. Asentar provides levels of vitamin D 50 to 100 times higher than normal. BBC News 1/18/07.

Vitamin E Helped Smokers: Finland study on 400 units per day found 32% decrease in prostate cancer and 41% decrease in death from prostate cancer. 3/18/98 J Natl Inst Cancer 

Vitamin C-E-Carotene-Selenium-Zinc Helped Only Those with Normal PSAs: In the SU.VI.MAX DB PC 8-year study of 5,141 men, nutritional doses of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc were linked only to non-significant decrease in prostate cancer risk (HR=0.88). During the follow-up, 103 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed. However, among men with normal PSA, there was a 48% reduction in the rate of prostate cancer with the supplements (hazard ratio = 0.52). In men with elevated PSA at baseline, the supplementation was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer of borderline statistical significance (HR = 1.54). The supplementation had no effect on PSA or IGF levels. Antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplementation and prostate cancer prevention in the SU.VI.MAX trial. Meyer F, Galan P, et al. Laval University, Quebec, Canada. Int J Cancer. 2005 Mar 30. Ed: Carotene and vitamin E now have some negative research. Vitamin D appears a better choice.