Prostate Cancer Month

By Terry Orr

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men (after skin cancer), but it can often be treated successfully. More than 2 million men in the US count themselves as prostate cancer survivors. [Source: American Cancer Society] 

Baby Boomers and Generation X men should all be leaning more about their own personal health, especially those disease that impact the male population beyond our fifties. Prostate Cancer heads the list of those we need to be tested for either yearly or every other year.

From the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov) provides a handy and and very informative booklet - “What You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer.” There are other excellent online resources available.  I personally recommend reading them and write a list of question your might have to discus with your primary healthcare provider.

Stages of Prostate Cancer

Stage I.  The cancer is only in the prostate. It might be too small to feel during a digital rectal exam. If the Gleason score and PSA level are known, the Gleason score is 6 or less, and the PSA level is under 10.

Stage II.  The tumor is more advanced or a higher grade than Stage I, but the tumor doesn’t extend beyond the prostate.

Stage III.  The tumor extends beyond the prostate. The tumor may have invaded a seminal vesicle, but cancer cells haven’t spread to lymph nodes. See the picture of a seminal vesicle.

Stage IV.  The tumor may have invaded the bladder, rectum, or nearby structures (beyond the seminal vesicles). It may have spread to lymph nodes, bones, or other parts of the body.

10 Best Foods For Prostate Health by Prostate.NET are:

1. Brazil Nuts. Of all the different types of nuts, these natives of South America are an especially rich source of the mineral selenium, which is important for prostate health. In fact, just one ounce of Brazil nuts can contain as much as ten times the RDA for selenium. Research has shown that selenium intake is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
2. Broccoli is a source of some very critical nutritional benefits that are not listed on a nutrition label. As a member of the cruciferous family, which is also populated by cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale, and many other vegetables, broccoli contains high amounts of the phytonutrients sulforaphane and the indoles, both of which have anticancer properties.
3. The hot and spicy cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum), also known as chili peppers, is the source of this prostate-supportive spice. Cayenne peppers get their heat from a high concentration of a substance called capsaicin. While capsaicin is widely known for its ability to reduce pain, studies have also shown that it can help kill cancer cells, including prostate cancer cells.
4. Green Tea. The medicinal powers of green tea are attributed to antioxidant compounds called catechins, a type of polyphenol that has been shown to destroy certain bacteria and viruses, boost the immune system, and fight several forms of cancer, including prostate cancer. Although there are several different kinds of catechins, experts have identified epigallocatechin gallate, EGCG, as the most potent.
5. Mushrooms, and especially Asian varieties, offer great health benefits, including their ability to help fight cancer. One Asian mushroom that has a long history—more than 6,000 years—of proving its medicinal powers is the shiitake. These mushrooms contain lentinan, a type of beta-glucan, which has demonstrated anticancer properties. A 2009 study, for example, showed that shiitake mushrooms suppressed tumor spread in mice implanted with human colon and breast cancer cells. In an earlier study, lentinan inhibited development of human colon cancer in mice. Thus far, no studies have looked specifically at the impact of shiitake mushrooms on prostate cancer.
6. Pomegranates have recently been the subject of much research and discussion as scientists have been discovering more and more benefits of eating these unusual fruits. In particular, pomegranates are rich in antioxidants and a phytonutrient called ellagitannin, which is especially helpful in promoting prostate health. Test tube studies show that pomegranate extracts can slow the reproduction of prostate cancer cells and prompt the cells to commit suicide.
7. Pumpkin seeds offer some unique health benefits for the prostate, especially for men who have benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). This condition, which involves enlargement of the prostate gland, commonly affects men 50 years and older. One thing that contributes to BPH is overstimulation of the prostate cells by testosterone and another hormone, dihydrotestosterone. The oil in pumpkin seeds can help prevent the hormones from triggering multiplication of prostate cells.
8. Salmon.  Omega-3 fatty acids are an important nutrient for supporting prostate health, and a delicious, nutritious way to get these omega-3s is with salmon. The meaty texture and light taste of salmon is often enough to convince even people who are not fond of fish to enjoy this fish on occasion. The flesh of salmon varies in color from red to pink and orange, and some varieties of salmon have greater amounts of omega-3 fatty acids than others.
9. Tomatoes are a popular food as well as a superior source of lycopene, a phytonutrient, or more specifically a carotenoid, one of a group of yellow, orange, and red pigments found in plants. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant that has proven itself in study after study to have properties that enhance prostate health.
10. Turmeric is a perennial plant whose roots are ground into this popular spice. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which gives the spice its bitter, peppery taste.

Please take action to get informed of the latest information regarding Prostate Cancer, get tested and talk about it with your doctor.  Thanks,

References and Links:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001418/ 

http://www.prostate.net/2010/articles/lists/10-super-foods-for-prostate-health/ 

http://www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.5699537/k.BEF4/Home.htm 

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/48679807/ns/health-mens_health/ 

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/prostate 

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/overviewguide/prostate-cancer-overview-diagnosed 

(All images from Google)