The prostate is the gland below a man's bladder that produces fluid for semen. Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages. It is rare in men younger than 40.
Levels of a substance called prostate specific antigen (PSA) is often high in men with prostate cancer. However, PSA can also be high with other prostate conditions. Since the PSA test became common, most prostate cancers are found before they cause symptoms. Symptoms of prostate cancer may include
Problems passing urine, such as pain, difficulty starting or stopping the stream, or dribbling
Low back pain
Pain with ejaculation
Prostate cancer treatment often depends on the stage of the cancer. How fast the cancer grows and how different it is from surrounding tissue helps determine the stage. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or control of hormones that affect the cancer.
Inverse association between serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels and non-melanoma skin cancer in elderly men.
Tang JY, Parimi N, Wu A, John Boscardin W, Shikany JM, Chren MM, Cummings SR, Epstein EH Jr, Bauer DC; for the Osteoporotic Fractures in men (MrOS) Study Group.
Cancer Causes Control. 2009 Nov 18. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 19921445
Our results suggest that a diagnosis of NMSC is not a surrogate for adequate 25(OH)D levels or increased UV exposure, and high 25(OH)D levels may be associated with a reduced risk of NMSC.
Prospective study of predictors of vitamin D status and cancer incidence and mortality in men.
Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Rimm EB, Hollis BW, Fuchs CS, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC.
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006 Apr 5;98(7):451-9.
PMID: 16595781
doi:10.1093/jnci/djj101
Conclusions: Low levels of vitamin D may be associated with increased cancer incidence and mortality in men, particularly for digestive-system cancers. The vitamin D supplementation necessary to achieve a 25(OH)D increment of 25 nmol/L may be at least 1500 IU/day.
ScienceDaily (Mar. 10, 2009) - A study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) found that men who took a daily folic acid supplement of 1 mg daily had more than twice the risk of prostate cancer compared with men who took a placebo.
For the first time, medical groups have issued guidelines that say healthy older men should consider taking a drug that may reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer, even if they're just among the worried well who go in for regular screenings.\n\nThe drug, finasteride, is already used to treat male pattern baldness and to shrink enlarged prostates. The new guidelines suggest that patients who are already taking finasteride for those conditions or who go for regular prostate cancer screening tests should discuss long-term treatment with the drug with their doctors.
Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Rimm EB, Hollis BW, Fuchs CS, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC.
Prospective study of predictors of vitamin D status and cancer incidence and mortality in men.
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006 Apr 5;98(7):451-9.
PMID: 16595781 [PubMed - indexed fo
Phase II study of pomegranate juice for men with rising prostate-specific antigen following surgery or radiation for prostate cancer.
Pantuck AJ, Leppert JT, Zomorodian N, Aronson W, Hong J, Barnard RJ, Seeram N, Liker H, Wang H, Elashoff R, Heber D, Aviram M, Ignarro L, Belldegrun A.
Clin Cancer Res. 2006 Jul 1;12(13):4018-26.
PMID: 16818701
ScienceDaily (July 2, 2006) - Drinking an eight ounce glass of pomegranate juice daily increased by nearly four times the period during which PSA levels in men treated for prostate cancer remained stable, a three-year UCLA study has found.
Calcium Associated With Lower Risk Of Cancer In Women\nScienceDaily (Feb. 24, 2009) - Women with higher intake of calcium appear to have a lower risk of cancer overall, and both men and women with high calcium intakes have lower risks of colorectal cancer and other cancers of the digestive system, according to a report in the February 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
LYSAKER, Norway, April 11, 2008-An increased intake of vitamin K2 may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 35 per cent, suggest results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). The findings, based on dietary intake from 11,319 men taking part in the EPIC Heidelberg cohort, are published in this month's issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Elevated levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with an increased risk of death in men with advanced prostate cancer, according to findings from a subanalysis of the ASCENT (AIPC Study of Calcitriol Enhancing Taxotere) t
Whether you're deciding on brachytherapy or are interested in nutraceuticals and diet, Prostate Forum tackles the latest on prostate cancer and beyond, responding with timely information for men of any age or at any stage of treatment.\n\nDr. Myers answer
"Compounds similar to those found in cannabis have been shown to stop prostate cancer cells from multiplying. Two cannabinoid compounds, JWH-015 and MET, stopped prostate tumour growth in human prostate cells in Petri dishes and also in mice with the disease. They halted the cell-division cycle and killed the cancer cells, and had the greatest effect on aggressive prostate cancer cell types, which do not respond to hormone treatments.
Some 192,000 men in the US alone are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, and researchers Inés Díaz-Laviada Marturet at the University of Alcalá, Spain, and her colleagues say the results could offer hope to those affected. But before you go looking for a dealer, New Scientist answers a few questions"
What is VITAL?
The VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) is a research study in 20,000 U.S. men and women investigating whether taking daily dietary supplements of vitamin D (about 2000 IU) or fish oil (about 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids) reduces the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and stroke in people who do not have a prior history of these illnesses. Recruitment for the study will begin in January 2010.