Dr. John's Health Matters
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The articles posted here are from various sources who are duly acknowledged. I would appreciate being immediately notified, if any copywritten material needs to be removed. This blog is not intended to replace the qualified advice of a licensed health practitioner. Readers should exercise their own judgment. Enjoy, subscribe, participate and tell others :)
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Posts tagged "prostate"
Wednesday, Sep 2nd, 2009 ↓Weight Gain In Adulthood Associated With Prostate Cancer Risk; Patterns Differ By Ethnicity →
Sept 2, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Body mass in younger and older adulthood, and weight gain between these periods of life, may influence a man’s risk for prostate cancer. This risk varies among different ethnic populations, according to results of a study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
“The relationship of certain characteristics, such as body size, with cancer risk may vary across ethnic groups due to the combined influence of both genes and lifestyle,” said lead researcher Brenda Y. Hernandez, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii.
Obesity is a risk factor for common cancers like colorectal cancer and breast cancer in post-menopausal women. However, the influence of body size on prostate cancer risk is not entirely understood. Hernandez and colleagues examined this relationship in a multiethnic population consisting of blacks, Japanese, Hispanics, Native Hawaiians and whites, and compared differences among age groups. They used the Multiethnic Cohort, a longitudinal study of men aged 45 to 75 years old established in Hawaii and California from 1993 to 1996.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: weight gain prostate cancer risk BMI body size ethnic group genes lifestyle obesity factor
Defend Against Disease with Broccoli Juice →
Aug 28, 2009 (NaturalNews.com)— Broccoli is a member of the cauliflower family or a Brassica. It is a diverse super food that is delicious when steamed or can be finely chopped and sprinkled on food for added nutrition. Juicing is a great way to get the most out of this amazing food. By drinking broccoli juice daily, we can prevent disease and transform our health.
Broccoli juice offers a whole array of amazing benefits that help us to enjoy optimum health. It contains glucoraphanin that converts into sulphoraphane, a powerful anticancer agent. It contains isothyocyanate, the chemical that activates our natural cancer inhibiting genes. The sprouted seeds and the broccoli juice help to fight prostate cancer. It contains compounds that help to detox the liver from cancer causing toxins.
With high levels of selenium and fiber, the juice of Broccoli offers protection from stomach and bowel cancer.
Broccoli juice contains compounds that protect cells from ultraviolet light. It helps to increase the production of protective enzymes that protect cells against different aspects of UV damage by working inside the cells. It helps in prevention of skin cancer.
Glucoraphanin present in the broccoli juice promotes antioxidant defenses in the body that help lower blood pressure and harmful inflammation in the heart and arteries.
The phytochemical sulforaphane helps the body defend against H. pylori, a bacteria that causes gastrointestinal problems. Thus, it helps to prevent stomach ulcers and painful bloating.
Broccoli juice contains fibers which help to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal GI tract. It reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. Calcium present in the Broccoli juice promotes healthy bones and helps to burn fat. It decreases the production of cortisol, which is a stress hormone, relating to food cravings and stomach fat.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: prevention disease broccoli juice benefit glucoraphanin sulphoraphane antioxidant anticancer cancer prostate detox liver selenium fiber stomach bowel uv damage skin bacteria gastrointestinal inflammation heart arteries bloating ulcer pain cholesterol blood
Hormone therapy fatal in prostate cancer sufferers →
Aug 27, 2009 (Presstv.com)—Hormone-based medications commonly used to treat aggressive prostate cancer may be hazardous for certain men suffering from heart problems.
Previous studies had reported that drugs which block tumor-fueling surges of testosterone can effectively treat aggressive forms of prostate cancer.
A new study, however, finds radiation therapy added with these drugs increase the mortality rate in men already suffering from heart disease.
According to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, neoadjuvant hormone therapy doubles the risk of death in prostate cancer sufferers with coronary artery disease-induced congestive heart failure (CHF) and myocardial infarction (MI).
Such a high mortality risk, however, was not reported among those with no comorbidity or just a single coronary disease risk factor undergoing the treatment.
Scientists concluded that physicians should prescribe hormone therapy with care in men with serious heart diseases. Such men account for only five percent of the male population.
PKH/AA
Tags: hormone therapy prostate cancer danger risk heart disease cardiovascularr testosterone death coronary artery congestive heart failure heart attack myocardial infarction treatment
Obesity Increases Risk Of Prostate Cancer Recurrence For Both Blacks And Whites →
Aug 17, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—A new look at a large database of prostate cancer patients shows that obesity plays no favorites when it comes to increasing the risk of recurrence after surgery: Being way overweight is equally bad for blacks and whites, say researchers at Duke University Medical Center.
Studies have shown that obesity is linked to generally worse outcomes in many cancers, including prostate cancer. Because blacks are more likely than whites to develop and die from prostate cancer – and because there is a higher prevalence of obesity among black men with prostate cancer, compared to whites – some studies have suggested that obesity might be a more ominous risk factor for blacks than whites.
“Not so,” says Stephen Freedland, M.D., an associate professor of urology and pathology in the Duke Prostate Center and the senior author of the study appearing in the journal Cancer. “Obesity leads to worse cancer in both groups.”
Freedland and Jayakrishnan Jayachandran, M.D. a urologic oncology fellow at Duke and the lead author of the paper, examined the records of 1,415 men enrolled in the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database who had undergone a radical prostatectomy. Black men comprised almost half (47 percent) of the sample.
After adjusting for various preoperative characteristics, researchers analyzed the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the aggressiveness of the cancer, as measured by the risk of recurrence. In contrast to other studies, investigators found no association between race and obesity.
Almost a third of the men were obese, regardless of race. “We found that higher BMI was associated with significantly increased risk of cancer recurrence for both blacks and whites,” said Jayachandran. “Though prior SEARCH-based studies from our group found that obesity was associated with a higher risk of disease progression as measured by a rising PSA after surgery, it now appears that being obese just means a poorer prognosis, period, regardless of race.”
As for why that might be, Jayachandran says he’s not sure, but he says it may have something to do with altered hormone levels.
“Obesity is associated with more estrogen and less testosterone, and it may be that lower testosterone promotes more aggressive tumors as recent studies have suggested.” In addition, Jayachandran says alteration in the production of other hormones, like insulin, insulin-like growth factor or leptin, which occur in obese men, may also be involved in the development of more aggressive tumors. “This is something we simply do not understand, but we are actively studying all of these factors.”
For full article see link above.
Heavy Drinkers Face Significantly Increased Cancer Risk →
Aug 4, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Heavy drinkers of beer and spirits face a much higher risk of developing cancer than the population at large, says a group of Montreal epidemiologists and cancer researchers. Their findings show that people in the highest consumption category increased their risk of developing oesophageal cancer sevenfold, colon cancer by 80% and even lung cancer by 50%.
In all, the researchers found statistically significant relationships between heavy consumption of beer and spririts and six different cancers. Moderate drinking (i.e. less than daily) and wine consumption did not show the same effects, however.
The research was conducted by Dr. Andrea Benedetti of McGill University, Dr. Marie-Elise Parent of INRS-Institut Armand Frappier and Dr. Jack Siemiatycki of the Université de Montréal.
“We looked at the data in two ways,” said Benedetti, an assistant professor at McGill’s Departments of Medicine and of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health. “We compared people who drank heavily to our reference group, who abstained or drank only very occasionally. We also looked for trends across our categories: non-drinkers, weekly drinkers and daily drinkers.
The results were astounding. “We saw increased risk for esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer,” Benedetti added. “The strongest risk was for esophageal and liver cancer.”
For full article see link above.
Tags: alcohol drinking cancer risk danger stomach esophageal colon liver pancreatic lung prostate
Green Tea: Mixed Reviews For Cancer Prevention →
July 21, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Lifestyle choices are pieces of the cancer prevention puzzle, but exactly which steps to take remain unclear, even to scientists. Still, more and more individuals are incorporating small changes into their daily routine — such as drinking green tea — in hopes of keeping cancer risk at bay.
Is it working? A large new Cochrane review of studies that examined the affect of green tea on cancer prevention has yielded conflicting results.
Researchers looked at 51 medium- to high-quality studies that included more than 1.6 million participants. The studies focused on the relationship between green tea consumption and a variety of cancers, including breast, lung, digestive tract, urological prostate, gynecological and oral cancers.
The comprehensive review analyzed studies conducted from 1985 through 2008. Many of the reviewed studies took place in Asia, where tea drinking is widespread and part of the daily routine for many.
The review appears in a recent issue of The Cochrane Library, which is a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.
“Despite the large number of included studies the jury still seems to be out on the question of whether green tea can in fact prevent the development of various cancer types,” said lead review author Katja Boehm, Ph.D. Since people drink varying amounts of green tea, and different types of cancers vary in how they grow, it is impossible to state definitively that green tea is “good” for cancer prevention.
“One thing is certain…green tea consumption can never account for cancer prevention alone,” said Boehm, a member of the Unconventional and Complementary Methods in Oncology Study Group in Nuremburg, Germany.
For full article see link above.
Tags: green tea cancer prevention antioxidant diet nutrition breast lung digestion prostate oral
Green tea capsules lower prostate cancer risk →
June 22, 2009 (Presstv.com)— Capsules made from active compounds extracted from green tea can help slow down the progression pace of prostate cancer, a new study finds.
Green tea has long been linked to positive effects on a wide range of conditions including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Certain studies had previously reported controversial results regarding the preventative effects of drinking green tea in prostate cancer.
The new study, however, shows taking capsules containing a green tea extract known as polyphenols lowers the protein levels required for tumor growth.
For full article see link above.
Bisphenol A (BPA) Found In Many Plastics May Cause Heart Disease In Women →
June 10, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com) — New research by a team of scientists at the University of Cincinnati (UC) shows that bisphenol A (BPA) may be harmful for the heart, particularly in women.
Results of several studies are being presented in Washington, D.C., at ENDO 09, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, June 10-13.
A research team lead by Scott Belcher, PhD, Hong Sheng Wang, PhD, and Jo El Schultz, PhD, in the department of pharmacology and cell biophysics, found that exposure to BPA and/or estrogen causes abnormal activity in hearts of female rats and mice.
In addition, these researchers found that estrogen receptors are responsible for this affect in heart muscle cells.
“There is broad exposure to bisphenol A, despite recognition that BPA can have harmful effects,” Belcher says. “We had reason to believe that harmful cardiovascular affects can be added to the list.”
For full article see link above.
Tags: heart plastic BPA women muscle cell cardiovascular estrogen neurological diabetes breast cancer prostate arrhythmic
Diet May Reduce Risk Of Prostate Cancer →
June 4, 2009 (ScienceDaily.com) — A new review published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics assessed whether certain modifications in diet have a beneficial effect on the prevention of prostate cancer. Results suggest that a diet low in fat and red meat and high in fruits and vegetables is beneficial in preventing and treating prostate cancer.
Robert W.-L. Ma and K. Chapman conducted an evidence-based review of dietary recommendations in the prevention of prostate cancer as well as in the management of patients with prostate cancer. The researchers found that a diet low in fat, high in vegetables and fruit, and avoiding high energy intake, excessive meat, and excessive dairy products and calcium intake may be helpful in preventing prostate cancer, and for patients diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Specifically, consumption of tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, green tea, and vitamins including Vitamin E and selenium seemed to propose a decreased risk of prostate cancer. Consumption of highly processed or charcoaled meats, dairy products, and fats seemed to be correlated with prostate cancer. “Although not conclusive, results suggest that general dietary modification has a beneficial effect on the prevention of prostate cancer,” the authors conclude. “In patients with prostate cancer, dietary therapy allows patients to be an active participant in their treatment.”
For full article see above link.
PSA Screening for Prostate Cancer a Waste of Over-Diagnosis →
NaturalNews) A new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute adds more evidence to the increasingly prevalent belief that regular prostate screenings may lead to more harm than good for older men.
Under current recommendations, most men over the age of 50 are advised to regularly undergo a screening for elevated levels of the prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein that spikes either in the presence of a prostate tumor or in response to non-cancerous inflammation. Men with PSA levels above a certain threshold are usually referred for biopsies to determine if cancer is present or not.
But researchers are increasingly raising concern over the assumption that early diagnosis is always a good thing. Because prostate cancers are slow growing, many older men might never experience any symptoms of the disease before dying of other causes. Yet prostate cancer treatments can carry severe side effects, including impotence or incontinence.
“If we diagnose this disease, are we making your life better?” asked Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society. According to Lichtenfeld, scientists simply don’t know.
In the current study, researchers from Erasmus University Medical Center estimated the rates of overdiagnosis among men who received prostate cancer diagnoses between the years of 1985 and 2000. Depending on which measure they used to estimate the progression of cancer symptoms, the researchers concluded that between 23 and 45 percent of cancers diagnosed within those years would otherwise never have had a noticeable effect on the patient’s life.
Since the study’s conclusion in 2000, doctors have begun ordering biopsies at even lower PSA levels, suggesting that rates of overdiagnosis have likely increased since then.
The study “reinforces the message that we are overdiagnosing prostate cancer,” Lichtenfeld said.
For full article, see link above.
Pomegranate juice may slow prostate cancer recurrence: Study →
Apr 28 09 (NutraIngredients-USA.com) — Men who have undergone treatment for prostate cancer could benefit from drinking pomegranate juice, according to findings of a new study from the US.
According to findings published in the Journal of Urology and presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA), a daily glass of pomegranate juice experienced slower doubling times of prostate specific antigen (PSA).
For full article, see link above.
Vitamin K reduces risk of prostate cancer →
Mar 31 09 (NutraIngredients-usa.com) — An improved vitamin K2 status may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, suggest results from German scientists that build the science linking the vitamin to improved prostate health.
Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center report that an improved status of the vitamin was linked to a lower risk of both advanced-stage prostate cancer and high-grade prostate cancer.
The authors, led by Katharina Nimptsch, published their findings in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
For full article, see link above.
Omega-3 may protect prostates from cancer: Study →
Mar 25 09 (NutraIngredients.com) — Increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids may protect against advanced prostate cancer, according to new research from the University of California San Francisco.
According to findings published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, the fatty acids may work by modifying a specific variant of the COX-2 gene, a known inflammatory gene.
For full article, see link above.
Study Finds Many Men with Prostate Cancer may be Fine without Treatment →
Mar 17 09 (NaturalNews) Controversial radio personality Don Imus just announced he has prostate cancer. He’s certainly not alone. In fact prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancers, in American men. About 186,320 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed last year, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). However, a diagnosis of prostate cancer isn’t an automatic death sentence — ACS statistics show that although about one in 6 men will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetime, only one in 35 will actually die from the cancer. And new research shows that a diagnosis of prostate cancer also doesn’t automatically mean all men even need treatment, such as often grueling chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery which can cause serious long-term side effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
A multi-center study of men with prostate cancer, published in the current issue of Journal of Urology recommends that some men diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer can opt out of receiving initial treatment, and if their malignancy is closely monitored, remain safe. “Low-risk” prostate cancers are those that are at minimal risk of progressing or spreading to other parts of the body. The study suggests “watchful waiting” can be a sensible approach after two separate biopsies are performed to determine if a man’s prostate cancer falls into the “low-risk” group.
For full article, see link above.
Slash Your Prostate Cancer Risk -- With Sunlight! →
Mar 18 09 (Mercola.com) — Men with prostate cancer are as much as seven times less likely to die if they have high levels of the “sunshine vitamin” — vitamin D — according to a new study.
The research looked at 160 patients with prostate cancer who were classified as having either low, medium, or high blood levels of vitamin D. Over the course of the multi-year study, 52 of the patients died of prostate cancer. Low vitamin D levels were found to significantly affect chances of survival.
The study’s authors theorized that since vitamin D has a similar structure to androgen, it might amplify the therapeutic effects of lowering androgen levels and improve the survival chances of men with prostate cancer.
Sources: 
British Journal of Cancer 2009; 100: 450-454
