How To Check on your Prostate

While performing a self-exam on your prostate gland isn’t simple, it could be a lifesaver by catching prostate cancer early. Below are some advice on how to check your prostate.

First, you need to know about the prostate gland. This is a small, walnut-sized object located right behind your rectum wall. Tubes pass through the prostate gland and carry urine and seminal fluid. Thus, the prostate gland is essential for both waste delivery and procreation.

For you to check your prostate, you’ll need to insert a finger into your rectum; however, because the anus walls are so delicate, you must use some kind of lubrication to avoid rupturing them. Finally, it’s recommended that you use some kind of surgical glove because it will allow you to more easily feel the prostate.

If you're a first timer, you may not be able to tell what you’re feeling. Thus, it could be a good idea for you to wait until your next physician’s appointment at which time he or she can walk you through the process.

Another way you can “check” your prostate gland is to be conscious of your bladder and bowel functions. Are you having trouble urinating? Is it difficult to have a bowel movement? Have you noticed blood in your urine, even only on occasion? Have you had trouble getting or maintaining an erection? These can all be signs that something is wrong with your prostate and although that doesn’t necessarily mean you have prostate cancer; an enlarged prostate can cause those concerns, too.

Finally, by being diligent and listening to your body, you can “check up” on your prostate.

Gene Found Activated In 70% Of Prostate Cancer Cases

Scientists at the George Washington University Medical Center reported that a gene has been found activated in 70% of prostate cancer tumors, the same gene that has been discovered activated in a majority of breast cancer cases.

Significant BP1 immunoreactivity was identified in approximately 70% of prostatic adenocarcinomas, whether the analysis was performed on tissue sections (50 cases) or tissue microarray platforms (123 cases)". The findings compare to "less than 5%" BP1 activity in normal cells. The researchers conclude that "These findings suggest that BP1 is an important upstream factor in the carcinogenic pathway of prostate cancer and that the expression of BP1 may reflect or directly contribute to tumor progression and/or invasion.

New Risk Factor For Prostate Cancer

An Oxford University-led study has found that the greater the levels of a protein called Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), the greater the risk of prostate cancer.

IGF-1 levels are influenced by lifestyle factors such as diet, so the study could help in tailoring the advice given to men at high risk of developing prostate cancer.

An international team of researchers, funded by Cancer Research UK, analysed data from 12 previous independent studies on the relationship between blood concentrations of suspected prostate cancer risk factors, and subsequent onset of the disease.

Previously, some but not all studies had suggested a link between IGF-1 levels and increased risk of developing the disease. Research like this is vital to further the work on prevention and treatment of the disease. The findings are also likely to be of interest to scientists who are looking at developing drugs to prevent prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer Gene Test Provides New Early Detection

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common male cancers in the Western world. Currently, early detection of PCa depends on an abnormal digital rectal examination and an elevated prostate-specific-antigen (PSA) level requiring a prostate biopsy, often associated with anxiety, discomfort, complications, and heavy expenses.

The prostate-cancer-gene-3 (PCA3) test is a new PCa gene-based marker carried out with a urine sample. PCA3 is highly specific to PCa and has shown promising early detection results at repeat biopsy. It may allow patients to avoid unnecessary biopsies. The PCA3 gene is dominant in over 95% of malignant prostate tissue compared to benign and normal prostate tissue.
Several studies have been done to evaluate the PCA3 assay. In 2007, Marks et al showed that urine PCA3 levels were more accurate than serum PSA measurements for predicting the results of repeat biopsy.

In the October 2008 issue of European Urology, Haese et al took the study by Marks et al even further in their evaluation of the PCA3 assay in a larger population of European men with one or two negative biopsies scheduled for repeat biopsy in order to determine its effectiveness in detecting PCa at repeat biopsy.

The PCA3 score was calculated and compared to biopsy outcome. The diagnostic accuracy of the PCA3 assay was compared to the percentage of free prostate-specific antigen (%fPSA). Most of the PSA that circulates in the serum is attached to larger protein substances, so called 'complexed' PSA. The rest of the PSA is unbound or 'free'. Research suggests that PSA created by prostate cancer is more likely to be the 'complexed' type while non-cancerous or benign PSA is more the 'free' type.

In 463 men, the positive repeat biopsy rate was 28%. The probability of a positive repeat biopsy increases with rising PCA3 scores. The PCA3 score was superior to %fPSA for predicting repeat prostate biopsy outcome and may be indicative of clinical stage and significance of PCa.
The utility of the PCA3 score is independent of the number of previous biopsies, prostate volume, and total PSA.

Too Much Good can be Bad

Flax seeds:

Negative effect: Increase the risk of prostate cancer

What happens: Its high content of alpha-linolenic acids (ALA) has made the ancient flax seed our modern miracle food, says Gloria Tsang, R.D., of HealthCastle.com. "It offers a vegetarian alternative to provide omega-3 fatty acid and has been shown in many studies to offer heart-healthy benefits by lowering total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol levels. Flax seed may also help lower triglycerides and blood pressure and keep platelets from becoming sticky, thereby reducing the risk of a heart attack," adds Tsang.

However, a few studies have also linked high concentrations of ALA to a higher risk of prostate cancer. Until more is known, men who are not vegetarians are recommended to choose fish sources for heart-healthy omega-3s instead, says Tsang.

How much do you have to eat? As ALA is concentrated in oil form, it's OK for men to eat the actual seeds, but until more studies are done they should completely stay away from the oil form (flax seed oil and flax seed oil pills), says Tsang.

Study Shows How Broccoli Fights Cancer

Just a few more portions of broccoli each week may protect men from prostate cancer, British researchers reported on Wednesday.

The researchers believe a chemical in the food sparks hundreds of genetic changes, activating some genes that fight cancer and switching off others that fuel tumors, said Richard Mithen, a biologist at Britain's Institute of Food Research.

There is plenty of evidence linking a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables to reduced cancer risk. But the study published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS One is the first human trial investigating the potential biological mechanism at work, Mithen added in a telephone interview.

"Everybody says eat your vegetables but nobody can tell us why," said Mithen, who led the study. "Our study shows why vegetables are good."

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cancer killer of men after lung cancer. Each year, some 680,000 men worldwide are diagnosed with the disease and about 220,000 will die from it.

Mithen and colleagues split into two groups 24 men with pre-cancerous lesions that increase prostate cancer risk and had them eat four extra servings of either broccoli or peas each week for a year.

The researchers also took tissue samples over the course of the study and found that men who ate broccoli showed hundreds of changes in genes known to play a role in fighting cancer.

The benefit would likely be the same in other cruciferous vegetables that contain a compound called isothiocyanate, including brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, rocket or arugula, watercress and horseradish, they added.

Broccoli, however, has a particularly powerful type of the compound called sulforaphane, which the researchers think gives the green vegetable an extra cancer-fighting kick, Mithen said.

"When people get cancer some genes are switched off and some are switched on," he said. "What broccoli seems to be doing is switching on genes which prevent cancer developing and switching off other ones that help it spread."

The broccoli eaters showed about 400 to 500 of the positive genetic changes with men carrying a gene called GSTM1 enjoying the most benefit. About half the population have the gene, Mithen said.

The researchers did not track the men long enough to see who got cancer but said the findings bolster the idea that just a few more vegetable portions each week can make a big difference.

It is also likely that these vegetables work the same way in other parts of the body and probably protect people against a whole range of cancers, Mithen added.

"You don't need a huge change in your diet," he said. "Just a few more portions makes a big difference."

Meat Increases Risk of Prostate Cancer

According to a research, eating meat and dairy products may increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Such a diet is said to increase the level of a hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) which promotes cell growth. A University of Oxford team examined the results of 12 studies, featuring a total of nearly 9,000 men.

They found men with high blood levels of IGF-1 were up to 40% more likely to develop prostate cancer than those with low levels.

IGF-1 plays a key role in the growth and development of children and adolescents.

In adults it continues to regulate cell growth and death, but it can also inhibit the death of cells which have come to the end of their natural life cycle.

Although they are not sure about the degree to which diet influenced IGF-1 levels was unclear.

But he said levels could be up to 15% higher in people who ate a lot of meat and dairy products.

Dr Roddam said: "There is a need to identify risk factors for prostate cancer, especially those which can be targeted by therapy and/or lifestyle changes.

"Now we know this factor is associated with the disease we can start to examine how diet and lifestyle factors can affect its levels and whether changes could reduce a man's risk."

Dr Roddam said raised levels of IGF-1 were likely not only to increase the risk of developing prostate cancer, but also to aid the spread of tumours.

Research shows that cells fed IGF-1 grow much more quickly.

However, Dr Roddam said there was no evidence to suggest that measuring IGF-1 levels could be used to develop a new test to screen for prostate cancer.

They agree that this needs more study before proven to be true but in the meantime, just to be safe, try to eat less meat and dairy products.

More awareness needed to prevent prostate cancer

According to a prominent urologist, there is a need for greater awareness about it and annual checking for males over the age of 50 years in India.

"Indian tests need to be redefined since men from here are more prone to a more aggressive form of cancer which needs to be detected early," Ashutosh Tiwari, from the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York said.

In western countries, 85 per cent of the cases were detected early whereas in India the same number was detected late due to which the treatment was more challenging, he said.

"In India, there is a lack of awareness among men and there should be greater awareness of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test which should be done by all men over 50 years at least annually," he said.

The PSA test is a screening process in detecting prostate cancer early and should be encouraged by all doctors since most people don't see urologists periodically, Anil Bradoo, head of the Mumbai Urology Society, said.

Since there are fewer urologists in the country, general practitioners should also encourage the test, he said.

Presently most prostate cancer patients in India are being treated through open surgery due to the high cost of laproscopic and surgery using a robot.

MR Imaging Helps Predict Recurrence In Prostate Cancer Patients

MR images taken of prostate cancer patients prior to treatment that show that the cancer has spread outside the prostate gland capsule help predict whether the cancer will return, according to a recent study conducted by radiologists at the University of California-San Francisco.

The study consisted of 74 men with biopsy-proven prostate cancer who underwent endorectal MR imaging of the prostate, said Antonio Westphalen, MD, lead author of the study. Tumor size, stage and extracapsular extension (cancer spread outside the prostate gland capsule) were all recorded.

"The study focused on patients who were treated with radiation therapy, more specifically, external beam radiation therapy, which is the treatment of choice of about one-third of patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer," said Dr. Westphalen.

After a follow-up of an average 42 months, four patients developed metastases -- all four had extracapsular extension seen on MR imaging before treatment, Dr. Westphalen said. Three of them had more than 5mm of extracapsular extension at MR imaging, he said.

"The main goal of our study was to identify features on our imaging that would predict treatment failure, perhaps allowing for a more conscientious decision ahead of time. We found that a subset of patients who presented with imaging signs of extracapsular extension prior to radiation were more likely to develop metastases in the future," said Dr. Westphalen.



Adapted from materials provided by American Roentgen Ray Society

What Role Does Nutrition Play In The Prevention Of Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer among men.Fortunately, about 1/3rd of these cancers can be prevented by a good and healthy diet. Dietitians of Canada men to take charge and engage in a lifetime of being physically active, keeping a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, about 24,700 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008 and 4,300 will die of it. "While there is more promising research on the effect of individual foods in this area, so far no food or nutrient has been convincingly linked to prevent prostate cancer," indicates Meredith Cushing, RD, reviewer of the DC publication Mostly for Men: Can nutrition play a role in prevention of prostate, bladder or testicular cancer?. "The best way to decrease overall cancer risk is to consume a healthy diet following Canada's Food Guide, maintain a normal body weight and being physically active," she adds.

Kinds of food that you should be eating more of:

• Fruits
• Veggies
• Fish
• Nuts
• Whole grains
• Seeds
• Peas
  
• Beans
• Lentils
  

Penn Surgeons Use Completely Robotic Surgery To Treat Prostate Cancer

One of the most innovative of these treatments is robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (removal of the prostate). The University of Pennsylvania Health System is currently one of only a handful of facilities across the country offering this minimally invasive, high-tech treatment. David I. Lee, M.D., a national expert in robotic surgery, was recruited to Penn and named Chief of the Division of Urology at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where the robotic prostate program is based.

Robotic technology offers a number of advantages during surgery. For instance, the robotic “arms” filter even minute tremors of the human hand so to provide steadiness. The robot’s camera also provides a three-dimensional, stereoscopic image of the body’s interior, as opposed to a two-dimensional image on a flat screen. This improved perspective enables depth perception that sharpens the visualization of the prostate and the network of nerves and tissue surrounding it. Additionally, by scaling down the motion of the robotic instruments, the surgeon can perform extremely precise, intricate movements during the procedure. For example, if the surgeon’s hand moves five centimeters, he/she can scale the robotic hand to move only one centimeter.

Robotic technology also offers a number of advantages after surgery. Because laparoscopic surgery is minimally invasive and no large incisions are involved, robotic-assisted surgery provides numerous benefits for prostate cancer patients, including: less pain and scarring, diminished blood loss, a shorter hospital stay and reduced recovery period for a quicker return to daily activities.

The actual robot consists of a tower that manipulates instruments controlled from a console that is situated a few feet from the patient. At the console, the surgeon operates four robotic “arms” and “wrists” using hand and foot controls. One of the robotic arms holds a tiny video camera, one works as a retractor and the other two replicate the surgeon’s exact hand movements. The camera and instruments are inserted through small keyhole incisions in the patient’s abdomen. The surgeon then directs the robotic instruments to dissect the prostate gland and surrounding tissue.

Unlike standard laparoscopic approaches that require counter-intuitive movements by surgeons (whereby the surgeon must move his hand to the left in order to move the mechanical device to the right), the robotic technology affords surgeons the direct, “intuitive” control they exercise in traditional open surgical procedures, seamlessly translating their natural hand, wrist and finger movements at the console into corresponding micro-movements of laparoscopic surgical instruments inside the patient’s body.

Now this is high tech!

• Based on materials provided by University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
  

Beta Sitosterol Gains Popularity For Natural Alternative In US And Europe For Prostate Problems

Nowadays, natural health and treatments are the way to go. Used for centuries, natural methods are now seeing another surge in popularity. Men in Europe and the United States have turned to an all natural ingredient called beta sitosterol for relief of enlarged prostate and prostatitis symptoms to avoid prescription drug side effects.

Beta-Sitosterol is a popular natural alternative used for years by men in Europe. Doctors in Europe commonly prescribe natural plant type alternatives to help prostate enlargement and lower urinary tract symptoms. Beta Sitosterol, Saw palmetto, pygeum, and nettle root are common plant-based drugs prescribed to millions of men in Europe.

Men in the US are now following the popular natural remedy to solve their prostate problems, according to the product's makers.

Studies have confirmed that use of beta-sitosterol has helped in alleviating the types of prostate discomfort that aging men so frequently encounter.

Men worry about the side effects taking prescription medicine for prostate problems. They are seeking all natural alternatives like Beta Sitosterol to relieve prostate problems. "Beta-Sitosterol is a natural key ingredient in natural prostate health". Beta-sitosterol is plant sterol found in almost all plants. It is one of the main subcomponents of a group of plant sterols known as phytosterols. It is white in color and waxy in nature. It has a chemical structure that is very similar to cholesterol. High levels of Beta Sitosterol are found in rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, and soybeans.

Yes, nothing beats natural. It's healthy, safe and best of all, it works.

Cholesterol is Also Bad For The Prostate

Just when we thought it was bad enough for the heart, we find out now that our prostates are also at risk. Two separate studies from researchers in North Carolina point out an association between cholesterol levels and prostate health risks. In 2007, a retrospective study by the Durham Veteran Affairs Medical Center in North Carolina showed that 1,214 men taking statins to lower their cholesterol also experienced a proportional decline in their levels of prostate-specific antigen, or PSA. As the prostate grows, it secretes an increased amount of PSA into the bloodstream. This new study highlights the fact that cholesterol levels could be associated in some way with prostate cancer development and progression.

Poor cholesterol management may not only affect a man's risk for prostate cancer, but also his risk of biomedical recurrence after prostatectomy, according to new data from Duke University released earlier this year. Researchers identified 471 patients from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database who underwent radical prostatectomy between 1998 and 2007 and found that those with a high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and those with increased serum cholesterol were up to 2.5 times more likely to experience a biochemical relapse.

While the association between high cholesterol and prostate health has been established by these data, the actual causation, researchers point out, is still unknown. However, these studies magnify the fact that being "heart healthy" can help men improve the health of their prostates.

This news gives us all the more reason to change to a more healthier lifestyle. We owe it to ourselves and our families.

Add A Little More Sunshine in your Life to Avoid Prostate Cancer

A study has revealed that Vitamin D is able to prevent prostate cancer as well as increases the survival rate of prostate cancer patients. This is wonderful because as we all know, we can get Vitamin D for free - from the sun.

“…the cells treated with Vitamin D fared much better. And while the vitamin protects healthy cells, Rebecca Mason’s experiments are showing that Vitamin D has the opposite effect on cancer cells. It kills them.” - Professor Michael Holick.

Leading vitamin D researchers are suggesting that the optimum adult level seems to be 4,000 daily units which is 20 times the government level for those 50 and under. The government says 2,000 is the limit for all ages before side-effects result. The researchers disagree and say amounts considerably above 2,000 units may be warranted when considering the multitude of potential benefits.

Make sure you’re taking D3. If the label says vitamin D2, then it’s not the good kind of vitamin D. So often, you see orange juice or foods that say they’re vitamin D fortified. But many times, those are fortified with D2. Vitamin D has to be taken with fat. Taking a vitamin D pill with orange juice isn’t going to work, it won’t absorb.

Try to get brand-name recommendations. Sadly, many doctors haven’t learned about supplements in medical school, so your doctor may not be able to advise you on that. To find the best brands, do your homework. Either get names of products from people you trust, or go on the Internet and look these supplements up.

Typically, dieticians say the best source of vitamins is through the foods we eat, rather than supplements. But Judy Carr, a registered dietician and certified diabetes educator says the best food sources of vitamin D aren’t necessarily the foods we love. In December, after reading a little more about the vitamin, Carr asked her doctor to include a vitamin D analysis with her routine blood work. She was surprised when her results came back showing her levels were on the low end of normal. “I’m thinking if that’s me, because I don’t have a horrible diet, I can’t imagine what the general population’s is,” Carr says.

Dr. Michael Holick, a leading vitamin D researcher who serves as director of the general clinical research center at Boston University Medical Center, said it’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from food, noting that you’d have to eat a 3½-ounce serving of fish like salmon, mackerel or sardines “almost every day just to begin to satisfy your requirement.”

The NIH agrees. It can be difficult to obtain enough vitamin D from natural food sources. For many people, consuming vitamin D fortified foods and adequate sunlight exposure are essential for maintaining a healthy vitamin D status. In some groups, dietary supplements may be needed to meet the daily need for vitamin D.

A tablespoon of cod-liver oil contains more than 1,300 IUs. Salmon (360 IUs for 3.5 ounces), sardines (250 IUs for 13/4 ounces) and fortified milk (about 100 IUs per serving) are also good sources.

No matter what cancer you have, or are trying to prevent, the real question is should cancer patients be left vitamin D deficient? Many experts will tell you that vitamin D should not be taken for breast cancer or prostate cancer until well controlled scientific studies prove it helps. The problem with that approach is two-fold. First, you may die waiting for the studies to be conducted and two, it misses the point. The point is this: women with breast cancer should not allow themselves to be vitamin D deficient and neither should their doctors.

Finally, I’ve always thought that it’s pretty significant that the parts of the body least exposed to the sun are more likely to experience a malignant melanoma.

But a new look at 528 melanoma victims over five years also found that increased sun exposure led to increased survivability, according to the study led by Marianne Berwick of the department of internal medicine at the University of New Mexico. “It’s totally counterintuitive, and we’re trying to investigate it,” said Berwick, who is doing a similar study of 3,700 melanoma patients worldwide. “It’s really strange, because sunburn seems to be one of the factors associated with improved survival.”

Masturbation May Prevent Prostate Cancer

A recent study by Australian researchers have found that frequent masturbation may prevent prostate cancer. It is believed that carcinogens build up in the prostate if men do not ejaculate regularly.

The researchers surveyed more than 1,000 men who had developed prostate cancer, and 1,250 men who had not. They found that men who had ejaculated the most between the ages of 20 and 50 were the least likely to get cancer. Men who ejaculated more than five times each week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Sexual intercourse may have a different effect because of the higher risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, which could in turn raise the risk of cancer.

The prostate produces a fluid that is incorporated into ejaculation, which activates sperm and prevents them from sticking together. Studies on animals have shown that carcinogens like 3-methylchloranthrene can be harbored in the prostate. Frequent ejaculation encourages the cancer-inducing fluids to "flush out."

Sounds funny but hey, it might actually work.