Medical blog » prostate

Drug recommended to prevent prostate cancer in some older men

admin — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:07:14 +0000

The panel stopped short of recommending that all men take the drug because clinical trials have not yet shown that it reduces deaths.
Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men, behind lung cancer, with 186,000 new cases diagnosed and 28,660 deaths each year.
Finasteride is used in low doses under the brand name Propecia as an anti-balding drug and in higher doses under the name Proscar for shrinking enlarged prostate glands. The dose recommended for cancer prevention is the same dosage used in Proscar.
The drug interferes with the production of male hormones, starving the tumors of fuel they need to grow.
A major clinical trial reported in 2003 showed that finasteride reduced the risk of prostate cancer by about 25% in men who took it, preventing about 15 cases in every 1,000 men. That means 71 men would have to take the drug for seven years to prevent one case, Kramer said.
Another drug in the same family, called dutasteride or Avodart, is thought to be even more potent and is undergoing clinical trials for prevention. It is also recommended in the guideline.
The medical groups did not issue new recommendations after the completion of the 2003 trial because it appeared that finasteride might have been promoting the growth of more aggressive tumors at the expense of those that are more benign.
“Now we know this is not the case,” Jacoub said. Subsequent studies have shown that shrinkage of the prostate caused by finasteride simply made the aggressive tumors more easily discovered.
The drug does have side effects in some men, however, including reduced potency and loss of sexual desire. Those effects can go away after a couple of months. On the other hand, the drug can result in reduced incontinence and fewer urinary problems.
Cost can also be a problem. The pills cost $2 to $3 a day, or about $1,000 per year, and most insurers do not cover them for cancer prevention.
Speaking at the news conference, panel member Dr. Howard Sandler of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center said, “If I tried the medication for a month or two and I got some side effects, then for me personally the benefit wouldn’t be worth the risk.” But if there were no side effects, he added, “I might sleep better at night.”

Drug recommended to prevent prostate cancer in some older men

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:06:10 +0000

Mediterranean diet may prevent prostate cancer

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:00:54 +0000

The
traditional Cretan Mediterranean-style diet, based on a variety of plant foods,
may help prevent prostate cancer, according to a
review.
The researchers showed
that dietary intake of fruits, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, nuts and legumes
along with olive oil as the main source of fat may provide protection against
cancer. Moreover, low intake of red meat, moderate to low intake of dairy foods,
moderate to high intake of fish and moderate intake of wine, mostly consumed
with meals, may be helpful in reducing the
risk.
The study showed that
strong adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet was associated with
reduced all cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, as well as decreased
incidence of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
diseases.
During a Spanish
study, men and women with elevated levels of cardiovascular risk factors were
randomised to either of two “Mediterranean” diets, along with olive
oil or nuts, or to a control low fat diet. After 3 months, the Mediterranean
diet groups had lower mean plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure and total/HDL
cholesterol ratio than the control group.
In another study, Italian
adults with the Metabolic Syndrome were randomised to a
“Mediterranean” diet or a “prudent” diet, both with
similar macronutrient composition. Greater improvements were found in markers of
vascular risk and endothelial function in the study group than the control
group.
The evidence suggests
that a traditional Greek or Cretan style diet is consistent with what humans
have evolved to consume and may protect against common chronic diseases,
including prostate cancer.

Daughter Raises Prostate Cancer Awareness, Runs 5K in Memory of Father

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:57:05 +0000

For one woman, the Assurant Health That Dam Run is an opportunity to celebrate life and raise awareness of prostate cancer. Having lost her father to the disease a year and a half ago, Anne Franklin is running to remember. On Sunday, March 1 at 10:00 a.m., Franklin and more than 40 of her closest friends and family will celebrate her 40th birthday by joining a national effort to fight against prostate cancer by participating in the annual event. This race, which will take place at the Cherry Creek Dam, is part of the Prostate Cancer Education Council’s (PCEC) national PACE Race Series, which helps to educate men and their families on the importance of early detection.
“Although prostate cancer is often treatable when caught early, it continues to take the lives of thousands of men each year. Having lost my father to the disease, I want to help educate others about the importance of early detection and screening,” said Franklin.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancers, in American men. Estimates indicate that this year more than 186,000 men will be diagnosed in the United States, joining the more than two million men currently living with the disease, and nearly 28,700 will die from the disease. The second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer, prostate cancer is often treatable if detected early.
“One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, which remains one of the leading causes of cancer death in men.” said Wendy Poage, President, Prostate Cancer Education Council. “While we still don’t know what causes prostate cancer, we do know that screening is the only way to detect prostate cancer while it is still in its most treatable stages. The PACE Race series is an opportunity to educate men about their risk for prostate cancer and encourage screening behavior that can ultimately save their lives.”
That Dam Run is an opportunity for Coloradans to join Franklin in the fight against prostate cancer, with a 5K run/walk. At the race, participants can enjoy free food, an awards ceremony, survivor recognition and more. As part of its efforts to raise greater prostate cancer awareness in Denver, the PCEC will also provide information on prostate cancer.
“My family learned an important lesson about the value of annual prostate cancer screenings. In honoring my dad’s life and his efforts to raise awareness of the disease, we hope others will be inspired to get checked,” added Franklin.
The PACE Race Series – sponsored by sanofi-aventis to benefit the PCEC – was launched in 2002 to increase national awareness of prostate cancer. In addition to raising awareness, PACE Race events often include special recognition of survivors and caregivers, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood screenings, “Ask a Doctor” booths, along with entertainment, fun and giveaways.
The Assurant Health RunDenver Series of foot races, sponsored by Milwaukee, WI-based Assurant Health, a national provider of individual medical, small group and specialty health insurance, which included four races culminating in March at That Dam Run, marked the beginning of the 2009 PACE Race Series.
To learn more about prostate cancer, the PACE Race Series or PCEC, please visit http://www.prostateconditions.org or for more information on the Assurant Health RunDenver Series, please visit http://www.ahrundenver.com.
Men, women, families, friends and neighbors – at all fitness levels – are invited to participate in the PACE Race Series. This 5K run/walk series was launched in 2002 by the PCEC to increase awareness of prostate cancer and to educate men and their families on the importance of early detection. With events across the country, the PACE Race Series has the ability to touch men and women of all walks of life. For more information, please visit http://www.pacerace.org.
A national organization committed to men’s health, the Prostate Cancer Education Council (PCEC) is dedicated to saving lives through awareness and the education of men, the women in their lives, as well as the medical community about prostate cancer prevalence, the importance of early detection, and available treatment options, as well as other men’s health issues. The Council – comprised of a consortium of leading physicians, health educators, scientists and prostate cancer advocates – aims to conduct nation wide screenings for men and perform research that will aid in the detection and treatment of prostate cancer. More information is available at http://www.prostateconditions.org.
Assurant Health has been in business since 1892 and is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by Time Insurance Company, John Alden Life Insurance Company and Union Security Insurance Company. Together, these three underwriting companies provide health insurance coverage for almost one million people nationwide.
Each underwriting company is financially responsible for its own insurance products. Primary products include individual medical, small group, short-term and student health insurance products, as well as non-insurance products and consumer-choice products such as Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements. With almost 3,000 employees, Assurant Health is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with operations offices in Minnesota, Idaho and Florida, as well as sales offices across the country. The Assurant Health Web site is http://www.assuranthealth.com.
Assurant Health is part of Assurant, a premier provider of specialized insurance products and related services in North America and selected international markets. Its four key businesses – Assurant Employee Benefits, Assurant Health, Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property – have partnered with clients who are leaders in their industries and have built leadership positions in a number of specialty insurance market segments worldwide.
Assurant, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIZ. Assurant has over $24 billion in assets and $8 billion in annual revenue. Assurant has approximately 14,000 employees worldwide and is headquartered in New York’s financial district. The Assurant Web site is http://www.assurant.com.

Meat and dairy diet 'could raise risk of prostate cancer'

admin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:18:22 +0000

The foods raise the levels of a hormone in the body which can spur on tumour
growth, according to a new study.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease in Britain,
affecting 34,000 men every year and killing 10,0000.
Scientists have found a link between the hormone and the likelihood of men
being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Those with high levels were 40 per cent more likely to develop the disease
than those with low levels, the findings show. They are published in the
journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Previous studies have shown that levels of the hormone are higher in men who
eat a lot of meat, cheese, milk and butter, while strict vegetarians have
low levels.
The scientists compared results from 12 studies, involving almost 9,000 men.
Dr Andrew Roddam, from Oxford University, who led the study, said: “What
we found was a modest association at best, but it was statistically
significant. A lot of the individual studies found the same trend but were
too underpowered for their results to be reliable.”
The hormone, called Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), boosts the division
of cells and is necessary for growth in children.
However, scientists are still unsure how great an effect a diet high in meat
and dairy products can have on levels of the hormone in the blood.
“It could be about 10 to 15 per cent higher in people who have a high
consumption of dairy products or meat,” Dr Roddam estimated.
He added: “There is a need to identify risk factors for prostate cancer,
especially those which can be targeted by therapy 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.”
High levels of the growth hormone could also increase the spread of the
tumours, the scientists believe.
Researchers will now also look at ways to block the effects of the hormone on
tumours.
Dr Lesley Walker, from Cancer Research UK, said: “While there are
established risk factors associated with prostate cancer of age, family
history, and ethnicity, there are no clear data on modifiable risk factors.
“Research like this is vital to further the work on prevention and
treatment of the disease.”

NCI: No prostate benefit from vitamin E, selenium

admin — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:28:52 +0000

NCI: No prostate benefit from vitamin E, selenium
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is stopping a major study of whether vitamin E and selenium prevent prostate cancer — because the supplements aren’t working and there’s a hint of risk.
More than 35,000 men age 50 and older have been taking one or both supplements or dummy pills for several years as part of a study called the SELECT trial.
But the National Cancer Institute announced Monday that they will be getting letters in the next few days telling them to stop: An early review of the data shows neither supplement, taken alone or together, is preventing prostate cancer.
Of more concern, slightly more users of vitamin E alone were getting prostate cancer — and slightly more selenium-only users were getting diabetes, the NCI said.
That doesn’t prove there is a risk from the supplements, the NCI stressed: Neither blip was statistically significant, meaning it could be a coincidence.
Earlier smaller studies had suggested the nutrients might help, but instead they’ve become latest failures in a quest to find cancer-preventing dietary supplements.
Researchers will continue to track the men’s health for three years. As with most well-designed studies, the participants didn’t know which nutrients they’d been assigned to take, or if they were in the placebo group. If they ask now, doctors will tell them. But researchers say the study’s results will be more accurate if most of the men wait to find that out until the follow-up health tracking is complete.
The study had been scheduled to run through 2011, enough time for latest-enrolling participants to have taken the supplements for seven years.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. More than 186,000 cases will be diagnosed this year, and prostate cancer will claim 28,660 lives.
Some research shows that a drug already used for an enlarged prostate, finasteride, can help prevent prostate cancer as well, but side effects limit its use.

Selenium, Vitamins E and C Won't Prevent Prostate Cancer

admin — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:29:50 +0000

TUESDAY, Dec. 9 (HealthDay News) — Selenium, vitamin E and vitamin C won’t prevent men from getting prostate cancer.
In findings that were released early because of the public health implications, the results of two large randomized, controlled clinical trials showed the supplements failed to provide a cancer-prevention benefit, despite past findings that seemed to indicate great promise — particularly for selenium. Both studies were expected to be published in the Jan. 7 print issue of the
.
“Our results showed no evidence of benefit from selenium and vitamin E on prostate cancer and other cancers,” said the lead author of one of the studies, Dr. Scott Lippman, a professor of medicine in the division of cancer medicine at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston.
Lippman’s study, known as the SELECT trial, included more than 35,000 men. Black men included in the study were all over 50, and men from other races were all over 55. (Blacks have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer than do men of other races, according to the American Cancer Society.)
The men were randomly assigned to one of four groups: selenium; vitamin E; selenium and vitamin E; or a placebo. The average follow-up time was more than five years.
The researchers found no statistically significant difference between the groups, and the trial was ended early, because there was no convincing evidence of efficacy.
The second study, done by Harvard researchers, included almost 15,000 male physicians over 50 who were randomly assigned to receive vitamin E, vitamin C, or a placebo. The average follow-up time for this trial was eight years.
Again, no statistically significant benefits were found from either vitamin C or E when it came to preventing prostate and other cancers.
These studies are just the latest in a long list of recent research that’s been discounting the use of individual vitamins and supplements for chemoprevention. Other recent studies have suggested that vitamins, B, C, D, E, folic acid and calcium taken alone, or in various combinations, aren’t effective for cancer prevention.
“Single-agent interventions, even in combinations, may be an ineffective approach to primary prevention in average-risk populations,” wrote Dr. Peter Gann, the author of an accompanying editorial in the same issue of the journal.
Andrew Shao, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Center for Responsible Nutrition in Washington, D.C., said he thought researchers need to “redefine our expectations for nutrients. They’re not magic bullets, though they do have tangible effects.”
Shao said studies that look at vitamins and cancer prevention tend to treat vitamins the same way they would a targeted pharmaceutical agent. But, he said, “the whole body is affected by nutrients, while pharmaceuticals are highly specialized and targeted to specific cells.”
“It would be a mistake to look at one trial that answers a very specific question and say these nutrients don’t work at all,” said Shao.
Lippman, however, said he doesn’t recommend the use of supplements for cancer prevention. “There’s no evidence to support taking these,” he said.
To learn more about prostate cancer prevention, visit the
.
More From USNews.com

FDA Approves Prostate Cancer Drug

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:32:10 +0000

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug to fight the prostate cancer.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug to fight the prostate cancer.

Peoria physician Dr. Joseph Banno of Midwest Urological says it holds new promise for those suffering from the late stages of the disease.

The new treatment for prostate cancer involves a drug called degarelix.

Over the last decade, more and more cases of prostate cancer have been found relatively early…and are treatable through radiation and chemotherapy.

But—for a minority –the disease is discovered in its late stages.
That’s where degarelix, pronounced day–guh–RELL–ix,offers some new hope.

Prostate cancer is known to grow in the presence of testosterone, so suppression of testosterone has been a treatment goal for advanced prostate cancer for many years.

Degarelix produced a dramatic drop in testosterone in 96% of patients in just three days. After two weeks, almost all degarelix patients had vastly reduced testosterone levels..

Dr. E. David Crawford of the University of Colorado at Denver said ; “Lowering testosterone as low as you can go is extremely important is the management of men with prostate cancer. It’s what should have been developed some years ago, and it took this long to develop it. We’ve made progress along the way, but this is a big step forward in out battle against prostate cancer”.

The FDA says besides the speed of reaction to the degarelix, the drug doesn’t cause a spurt in production of testosterone… which some other treatments have caused.

Most prostate cancer patients will never need degarelix since most cases of the cancer are discovered in its early stage.

Still – for those who need the drug – it offers the possibility of relief from the most common cancer found in American men.

Rethinking Prostate Cancer in Older Men

admin — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:13:20 +0000

FRIDAY, Oct. 17 (HealthDay News) — With increasing life expectancies, improved surgical tools, and better information on patient results, many older men diagnosed with early prostate cancer are taking a pass on the traditional advice to hold off on treatment for a period of time.
So-called “watchful waiting” — or closely monitoring the cancer’s progression — is still a viable option. But many experts now believe that aggressive treatment — even for older men — may be the better way to go.
“We’re pushing the limits on the upper end,” said Dr. Edouard J. Trabulsi, assistant professor in the department of urology at Jefferson Medical College and co-director of the Jefferson Prostate Diagnostic Center in Philadelphia.
helped shake up the conventional wisdom. The study, which involved some 44,000 men, found that the death risk for those who received prostate cancer treatment was nearly one-third lower than for men who received no treatment. And that was true across all age categories, including the oldest men in the study, aged 75 to 80.
“We often think of prostate cancer as an indolent disease, and it is for many men, which is why observation is a very reasonable treatment option for patients with low and intermediate risk disease,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Yu-Ning Wong, a medical oncologist at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
“However, the life expectancy for a 70-year-old man is about 13 years, and patients who are otherwise healthy should recognize that if they live long enough, they may be at risk of developing complications from prostate cancer,” she added.
Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in American men, after skin cancer. In 2008, about 186,320 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed, and about 28,660 men will die from it, according to the American Cancer Society.
Because prostate cancer is generally a slow-growing cancer, some men may never need treatment. And for many older men without symptoms, watchful waiting has been recommended, because it was believed they would die from other causes before their cancer advanced.
But as men’s life expectancy creeps higher and new robotic techniques improve the precision of surgery, the decision is becoming more complicated.
“Patients should understand the risks and benefits of all their treatment options — radiation, surgery and observation,” Wong noted. “If they choose observation, they should be committed to careful follow-up with their physicians.”
Watchful waiting does not mean watching someone die. Many oncologists today prefer the term “active surveillance,” Trabulsi said, because it more accurately describes the diligent approach to monitoring these patients, including the use of PSA blood tests, digital rectal exams and biopsies of the prostate to detect changes in the cancer.
Still, determining the best course of treatment is difficult, because there isn’t good data to help guide patients and their families on the effectiveness and harms of treatments for clinically localized prostate cancer, according to a recent literature review prepared for the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
But oncologists hope to have better information on the benefits and risks of active surveillance, also known as “expectant management,” compared with treatment, by late next year. The National Cancer Institute and the Department of Veterans Affairs are co-sponsoring a study, called the Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial, to compare radical prostatectomy — which is removal of the gland — and expectant management on patient survival and overall quality of life.
For now, Wong advises: “They [patients] should place the potential benefit of treatment found in our study in the context of the potential side effects of treating the patient’s other medical problems.”
For more on treatments for prostate cancer, visit the
.

Growing a 'Stash for the Fight Against Prostate Cancer

admin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:03:10 +0000

People in the Panama City community are grooming a little less these days, and it’s not for insulation from the cold!
They’re doing it for Movember!
Nope, that’s not a type-o.
The Movember Foundation is working in conjunction with the Prostate Cancer Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization, sponsoring Movember. Movember (the month formerly known as November) is a charity event held during November each year.
At the start of Movember guys register a clean shaven face. The Movember participants, known as Mo Bros have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their Mo (Australian slang for mustache).
The purpose is to raise money and awareness along the way for men’s health and the fight against prostate cancer.
At the end of the month a celebration will be held at the Hofbrau Bier Garden on November 29th starting at 7 p.m.
The aim of Movember is to make men’s health, fun, by putting the Mo back on the face of men, while raising some serious funds for the number one men’s health issue, prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in the U.S. with 1-in-6 American men developing the disease and more than 28,000 men dying of the disease every year.
. 5 Gold Packages
. Banner at Mo Town Party
. Honoree Package
. 3 Gold Packages
. Radio Mention
. Sponsor Package
. 1 Gold Package
. 1 Goodie Bag Insert
. Name on All Printed Material
. Movember 2008 Commemorative Mug
. 10 Raffle Tickets
. Silver Donor Package
. Free Beer
. 5 Raffle Tickets
. Bronze Donor Package
. 1 Party Entry
. Free Food
. Drink Specials
. Goodie Bag (Stickers, Coozie, Coupons, etc.)
. 3 Raffle Tickets
. 1 free t-shirt
All donations made will go directly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, which will use the funds for high-impact research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer.