Ginseng As A Treatment For Prostate Cancer - How To Research The Medical Literature

Many people today are interested in the use of herbs such as ginseng in the treatment of prostate cancer. People are certainly interested in whether or not the benefit of ginseng has been studied scientifically.

Before we describe the scientific and medical literature on the use of Ginseng for the treatment of prostate cancer, here is a brief description of the different types of ginseng.

Ginseng is a herbal remedy that has been used in Asia as a medicinal remedy for a long time. It's commonly used as a herbal preparation in traditional Chinese medicine. There are many types of ginseng freely available on the market today. However, there are really only 2 types of real ginseng:

1. Asian Ginseng (Panax Ginseng): and
2. North American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius).

Both types of ginseng differ in their chemical composition. This different chemical composition appears to give each type of ginseng different biological properties.

How To Research The Medical Literature And Find Abstracts And Free Full Text Articles On Ginseng As A Treatment For Prostate Cancer

To research the scientific literature and find medical articles written about the use of ginseng for the treatment of prostate cancer, you first need to go the online medical database of the National Library Of Medicine.

This site is called Pub Med and can be found at www.pubmed.com

The home page has a search box. In the search box type in -- Ginseng AND prostate cancer. Then click search. Notice that the search won't work if you type in ginseng as a treatment for prostate cancer.

As of August, 2006 a total of 6 medical articles have been written which turned up in our search. You can read the abstracts for free online. In addition, one of the articles is available as a free full text article on the subject of ginseng as a treatment for prostate cancer.

To tell if a free full text article is available, look to see if there are green lines in the file box to the left of the article title.

If there are only black lines then that means that only the abstract is available. This still can provide some valuable information on our subject of ginseng in the treatment of prostate cancer. You can read the abstract and, if you decide that you want to read the full text of the article for free, make a note of the journal title and the volume.

You can then go the closest medical library, find the actual medical journal, and read the full text of the article for free.

Dr. Glenn Sheiner is a medical doctor and the author of the ebook and video tutorials Cancer Research Online Made Easy. This downloadable package is available immediately and will help you find information you won't find on most cancer web sites. You'll quickly learn many sophisticated research techniques including how to find the latest medical articles on any type of cancer from around the world. And, how to find all the available clinical trials, including those from the world's most reknowned medical centers. Also, more information on prostate cancer can be found at Prostate Cancer Information.

3 Simple But Highly Effective Steps To Avoiding Prostate Cancer

When you mention the words prostate cancer around men it can literally put fear in their hearts. This disease is a very harsh condition that can prove fatal for a large percentage of individuals that contract it unless they start to protect themselves at an early age. Before going into some things you can do to avoid prostate cancer it needs to be mentioned that there are unfortunately some obstacles that simply can?t be avoided. For instance if there is a history of prostate cancer in the family or if you are at a certain age where this form of cancer seems to appear quiet frankly then the reality is the likelihood of being diagnosed with prostate cancer is higher. However, there are a few things you can do now to combat the effects of catching prostate cancer. They include a proper diet, plenty of exercise and an annual checkup or health exam.

Simply put exercise is one of the most beneficial things anyone can do to improve their overall health and quality of life. Let's be honest our bodies require enough exercise stimulation in order to stay health, strong and function properly. The fact is you really should exercise on a regular basis in order to stay in good shape. Exercise also has the benefit of helping your body stay disease free, to include cancer. By sticking to an exercise plan you significantly lower your chances of contracting prostate cancer and should you actually be diagnosed with the disease your body will be in much better shape and capable of dealing with the adverse effects of cancer in the prostate gland while you undergo treatment for the condition.

Naturally, diet is another crucial factor to leading and living a healthy lifestyle and it fits nicely with a good exercise program. In fact, medical studies show that a well balanced diet has the most effect on whether or not you lead a health life. Unhealthy foods, such as those found in fast food restaurants, are a precursor to future health related problems to include prostate cancer. Generally speaking, most medical professionals and doctors highly recommend the nutrient called lycopene as a supplement needed to help prevent all forms of cancer to include the dreaded prostate cancer. Although Lycopene is found in many different foods it is abundantly found in papaya, tomatoes, watermelons and guava. Additionally you can choose to take vitamins, nutrient supplements and minerals that contain lycopene.

All of the health eating and exercise daily routines mean nothing if you fail to schedule an annual health exam or medical checkup. Although these don?t necessarily help you avoid cancer they do assist in the early detection of prostate cancer which is extremely important because in most cases early detection was the key to be able to successfully cure prostate cancer that was diagnosed in a majority of males. A yearly or annual exam is highly recommended, but if you are in a higher risk category then perhaps a semi-annual exam would prove to be better.

Prostate cancer isn't something to mess around with, but by adapting a health diet incorporated with an exercise routine used in conjunction with a regular health examination the odds of staying cancer free are higher and should you be diagnosed with prostate cancer you stand a much better chance of beating the disease.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Online Prostate Health Guide.com where he provides more important information on the prostate gland, prostate cancer and prostate cancer symptoms that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Enlarged Prostate Symptoms: How to Tell When a Man Has BPH

Enlarged prostate symptoms rarely manifest before the age of 40. For some men, symptoms might not even occur at all. However, the condition called BPH or enlarged prostate affects almost 90 percent of men in their seventies and eighties, while more than 50 percent of men who reach their sixties experience symptoms.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) or Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy is a condition characterized by the enlargement of the prostate gland; a common occurrence since it is quite normal for men's prostates to enlarge as they age. The growth of the prostate has two main phases; the first is during puberty, when the size of the gland doubles; and the second is at around age 25, when the gland starts growing again. The second growth phase often results in BPH years later. Some of the more common enlarged prostate symptoms include weak stream of urine, difficulty in starting urination, dribbling and leaking of urine, a strong and sudden desire to urinate especially at night, a feeling of not emptying the bladder, and in some cases, blood in the urine.

As a man's prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it prevents the gland from expanding which causes the gland to press against the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable resulting in contraction which causes frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder becomes weaker and might not be able to empty itself which could result in urine being trapped in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and the inability of the bladder to fully empty itself cause many of the problems associated with enlarged prostate.

The cause of enlarged prostate has yet to be fully understood. Since BPH occurs in older men and does not develop in those whose testes were removed during puberty, researchers believe that factors related to aging and the testes contribute to the development of the condition. Some studies have also theorized that BPH occurs because the amount of testosterone (male hormone) in the blood decreases as a man ages, leaving a higher proportion of estrogen (female hormone) which results in the increased activity of substances associated with cell growth.

Majority of BPH symptoms stem from urethral obstruction and gradual loss of bladder function. The extent by which a man's prostate has grown does not always determine how severe the condition is. Some men with greatly enlarged prostate experience little problems and manifest few symptoms, while others whose prostates are less enlarged may have severe obstruction, more blockage and experience more discomfort or pain.

Despite similarities between prostate cancer and enlarged prostate symptoms, having the latter does not mean that chances of getting the former are increased. Researchers have not found any direct connection between BPH and prostate cancer, but it is still highly imperative that men over the age of 40, whether they have or do not have enlarged prostates, undergo a rectal exam to screen for prostate cancer.

Mensglands.com provides you with info on enlarged prostate symptoms, its treatments and symptoms and how to overcome or reduce the risk of getting it. http://www.mensglands.com/

s Sex Possible After Prostate Cancer Diagnosis?

SEX AFTER PROSTATE DIAGNOSIS.

If you are diagnosed with any form of prostate disease, you will experience some type of erectile dysfunction, even if it is a surgical procedure using the nerve sparing technique.

There is no need to repeat the treatments we?ve already covered, but let?s take a moment to review some of the possibilities that are available to men AFTER being diagnosed with prostate disease who experience erectile dysfunction:

? There are now numerous erectile dysfunction drugs (EDDs) available. These drugs promote erections by increasing blood flow to the penis.

? There is a substance called Prostaglandin E1 that can produce erections. It is produced naturally and can be injected almost painlessly into the base of the penis before sex.

? A penile implant or prostheses can restore an ability to achieve an erection.

? There are vacuum devices that are designed especially to create an erection by placing around the entire penis before sex.

While erectile dysfunction will most likely begin immediately following surgery for prostate removal, if the technique of nerve sparing is used there is a possibility of recovery within a year of the procedure. If non-nerve sparing is used the recovery of erectile function is highly unlikely.

There are studies that report sparing nerves on both sides of a prostate have regained erectile function in 60 ? 70% of men. Also, erectile dysfunction drugs appear to work for up to 43% of men whose prostate was removed surgically. This shows a promising trend.

There is some difference when radiation therapy is used. The man will also experience erectile dysfunction but it usually doesn?t happen until six months after beginning treatment. However, there is also good news here showing that as many as 50-60% of men regain erections with the use of EDDs.

When hormonal treatment is the route taken, erectile dysfunction will usually occur between two and four weeks after beginning treatment and is linked with decreasing sexual desire. Unfortunately the studies do not show the same results as the previous two treatments having little or no impact on erectile dysfunction. The good news, however, is that normal erectile function returns when the hormonal therapy is ended.

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Da Vinci Robot: Best Choice For Prostate Surgery?

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-skin cancer in men - about 30 percent of all cancers are prostate and 15 percent of men are likely to get it.

Radical prostatectomy has the highest cure rate for an organ-confined disease of all treatments although 10-20 percent have additional prostatic disease after pathologic evaluation.

Traditionally, surgery has been done ?open? (retropubic or perineal), but since 1997 the laparoscopic approach has gained acceptance. Around 2001, the robotic approach started to become idealized. By 2005, about 20 percent of radical prostatectomies were performed with the da Vinci? surgical system from Intuitive Surgical. Although the da Vinci robot was named after Leonardo da Vinci, who made the first robot, the term was coined by Capek in a Czech play in 1921. Technically, the da Vinci? Surgical System is not technically a robot, it?s a ?remote computer assisted tele-manipulator.?

Robotic prostate surgery has some advantages for the patient. During surgery, patients tend to lose less blood, require fewer transfusions (1-2 percent instead of 5-10) and have shorter catheterization times. The latter can mean less infection, less urinary extravasation and a faster return to continence for patients. Patients also suffer less post-op pain because of a shorter incision, which helps them resume normal activities more quickly (within 92 hours instead of 4 weeks) as well as a shorter hospital stays (1.2 days instead of 2.5).

Still, controversy exists about the advantages, disadvantages and cost-effectiveness of the robot. All approaches (open, laparoscopic or robotic) provide similar overall health and quality of life outcomes: positive margins (2-19 percent); Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) recurrence free survival (80-95 percent after 3 years); continence at one year (80-95 percent); potency at one year (55-85 percent); and overall complications (5-10 percent). They are also similar in cost, so doctors select one approach over another based upon the patient situation and achieve similar results.

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Prostate Cancer: Prevention and Lifestyle Changes

Prostate Cancer: The Male Equivalent of Female Breast Cancer

Over 30,000 men will die this year from prostate cancer. Not only that, but it has been quoted that over 200,000 new prostate cancer cases are reported each year in men as well. While prostate cancer is fairly treatable if it is found in it's earliest stages, it still is a major concern for men, especially men over the age of 40 when you consider the fact that one in six men are diagnosed with this cancer.

What can you do to prevent this disease, and what are the measures for ensuring the cancer goes into a permanent remission?

The Diet/Prostate Cancer Link

While there is much speculation about this, there have been studies to strongly suggest that diet has a profound impact on cancer prevention of all types, not just prostate cancer. Further, the regulation of one's blood sugar may play an even bigger role than we think in suppressing the growth of cancer cells, and slowing or completely stopping the growth of existing cancer cells.

One such diet used in the prevention and reversal of cancer is the macrobiotic diet, which is a very restrictive diet based in sea vegetables and whole grains. The food groups of dairy and most fats is eliminated, and sugars are strictly forbidden. Microwaves are not used to cook foods, and minimal cooking of foods is advised to maintain their nutritional and antioxidant value as much as possible.

This diet actually originated in Japan, and has gained a lot of notoriety over here in the states for having particularly therapeutic value in the healing and prevention of cancer and other diseases. If you are thinking about going on a diet like this, that promotes healing and helps to prevent prostate cancer, I would encourage you to read about this diet online and see if it sounds like something you could do.

Other than that, common sense seems to prevail in diet guidelines for prostate cancer prevention. The usual guidelines include staying away from sugars, eating an abundance of leafy green veggies, the darker green is even better, and avoiding processed and prepared foods.

Another good guideline is to eat organic whenever possible. Organic foods are free of pesticides, chemicals, preservatives, and hormones that are common contaminants of most foods sold in grocery stores. Try to stick to unprocessed, raw foods whenever it is feasible to do so, and drink filtered or distilled water whenever possible.

Be Active, Stay Active: Health is a State of Mind

Maintaining an active lifestyle is beneficial for almost any type of cancer. Active people tend to stick to healthy diets, and tend to maintain a healthier outlook on life and health. Don't let anyone tell you there is not a huge mind/body connection, because there definitely is.

The evidence is pretty stunning to anyone when it is viewed as to how profoundly diet and lifestyle is related to the prevention and even reversal of many kinds of cancer, and prostate cancer is no different.

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High Cholesterol May Cause Prostate Cancer Development

According to general medical opinion regarding causes of prostate cancer, the risk factors are age, ethnic history and family background.

But recently, a research study have found that high cholesterol levels speed up the growth of prostate tumours. This conclusion may help to find an explanation regarding the fact prostate cancer is more frequent in the West world than in Asian countries because of diets high in cholesterol. For instance, in rural parts of Japan and China, where people use low fat diets, rates of prostate cancer are up to 90% less than in the West countries. It is also a reality that in United States prostate cancer hits about one in every six men.

The study author noted that the human body uses cholesterol in the synthesis of hormones known as androgens, which have a high influence on prostate tissue. Too much of cholesterol may cause an unbalanced production of this hormone. The surplus of cholesterol accumulates in the outer membranes of tumour cells leading to the development of prostate cancer.

Probably, the conclusion that drugs lowering cholesterol may help prevent prostate cancer or at least decrease its development is premature. But is a fact that watching your diet, you can be healthier.

Valerian D is a freelance writer interested in health issues affecting men such as prostate malignant tumours.

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Natural Prevention of Prostate Cancers

Prostate cancer is one of the three very common prostate diseases. Many experts estimate that every man will eventually develop cancer of prostate if he lives long enough.

1. Natural prevention of prostate cancers begins with the habit of maintaining urinary tract as clean as is possible. A daily fluid intake to as much as 8 to 12 glasses will increase the urine amount. When you are drinking enough, you are urinating more often than usual. Eliminated extra fluids help maintaining the urinary tract clean. Since the prostate is involved seminal fluid producing, there is a strong belief that regular ejaculations - two or three times weekly - will also help. There is no much scientific proof of this, but it is risk-free.

2. Diet is also a factor.
   • Avoid red meat. There is a strong correlation between high red meat consumption - more than four servings weekly - and the development of prostate cancer.

   • Eat cereals - wheat, oats and bran - as a good source of protein

   • For the prevention of cancer as well as for healing, eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. Include in the diet apples, all kinds of berries, fresh cantaloupe, watermelons, zucchini, carrots, pumpkin (seeds tea especially), parsley, squash and yams.

   • Increase the zinc intake using Wheat Germ oil, Wheat Germ and Oatmeal.

   • Tomatoes, eat tomatoes as much as you can.

3. Massage
   • Lying down on the bed, face up, massage the lower abdomen just above the base of the penis. Be gentle, you should feel some pressure, but not pain.

   • Massage each leg about 5 minutes/day to stimulate reflexology points.

     Valerian D is a freelance writer specialized in health issues affecting men like prostate cancer prevention.

Something about Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer affects 1 in 6 American men. If prostate cancer is caught in its early stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, may experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer such as frequent urination, especially at night; difficulty in starting urine flow or holding it back; a weak or interrupted flow of urine, a painful or a burning sensation; difficulty getting an erection; blood in the urine or semen; painful ejaculations; or a frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, upper thighs, or hips.

These symptoms can also indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders and so, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough examination to determine the cause.

DRE and PSA tests cannot diagnose prostate cancer, but they can signal a need for a biopsy in order to determine if there are prostate cancer cells. A biopsy consists of needles being inserted into the prostate in order to take small samples of the tissue, usually along with an ultrasound. A biopsy may cause some pain or discomfort, but it is a short procedure and is usually performed on an outpatient basis.

The Gleason Grading system, or Gleason Scores, accounts for five distinct patterns that prostate tumor cells go through as they change from normal cells. This scale runs from 1 to 5, 1 representing very nearly normal cells and 5 representing cells that don't look much like prostate cells at all. Normal prostate cells are constantly reproducing and dying and each new cell has the same shape and appearance as all of the other cells. But cancer cells look different and the degree to which they look different is what will determine the cancer grade.

Each man should learn as much as possible about various treatment options and make his own decision about what is best for him. This decision will probably rest on a combination of psychological and clinical factors. The most important first step in deciding on the best treatment course will be in careful consideration of different treatment options available. Any decision that is made now, especially in a case of localized prostate cancer, will reverberate for a long time to come.

You should consult all of the three types of specialists: a urologist, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist. They will offer the most comprehensive advice on available treatments and outcomes.

Fransis Rodrigues is the author of this article currently writing on www.polymva.com Visit today http://www.polymva.com

Prostate Cancer Treatments

The principle function of the prostrate gland is to secrete seminal fluid, a nutrient for sperm, and eject it into the urethra during ejaculation. As it ages it can become cancerous without any specific cause. For prostrate cancer, this process is commonly a slow one. It goes undetected in its initial stages, and once symptoms start to manifest, it has already advanced into a more critical stage.

Once confirmed as prostrate cancer, it is important to collect all the information that is possible to decide on a course of treatment. The relevant inputs are the age and health condition of the patient, how far the cancer has progressed and how fast it is advancing. There is a computerized nomogram to assess the probability of a cure. The patient, along with the physician and the family, has to opt for the course of treatment that is best for him.

The simplest treatment is ?watchful waiting.? The treatment concentrates on relieving the symptoms and performing periodical tests like DRE and PSA and others, as required. If the cancer is localized, surgical removal of the prostrate may be the best option. The success rate of this procedure, if caught in the early stages, is very high. But the side effects of this surgery are impotency, the inability to control urination, and other disadvantages associated with a major surgery. Laparoscopic surgery for removal of the prostrate is a new procedure.

Radiation therapy offers a non-invasive treatment, when the cancer is localized or just beyond the prostrate. But there are side effects of radiation therapy. These include injury to the rectum and bladder, bleeding rectum and bladder, urinary problems and burned skin. There are mainly two types of radiation therapy. The external beam radiation therapy uses radiation from outside to attack the cancer cells. Brachy therapy implants a small radioactive seed directly into the tumor to treat it. Cryotherapy is freezing the entire Prostrate with liquid nitrogen and killing it all, including the cancer cells. The urethra is kept heated to save the duct. Hormone deprivation therapy aims to cut off the male hormone testosterone, which is considered a fuel for cancerous cells.

There are many other chemotherapies that are very promising, especially when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, like the bones and lymph nodes. There are over 200 new therapies under development, many of them supported by the Prostrate Cancer Foundation.

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What?s A Man Must Know About Prostate Cancer!

1 Testosterone and its active metabolite.

Dihydro-testosterone are essential for prostate cancer to develop, but does not actually cause prostate cancer. Men who are castrated at a young age do not develop prostate cancer.

2 Prevalence of prostate cancer

One in ten men will develop clinically significant prostate cancer in their lifetime. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American males with 250 000 new cases reported annually. Prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in both the USA and the UK. Prostate cancer is rare among Orientals. It is more common in black than white Americans. The disease appears to present at a younger age and behave more aggressively in American blacks. Prostate cancer is common in South Africa and probably underreported as a cause of death. The exact incidence in South Africa is not known as no large-scale epidemiological studies have been performed. It is uncertain whether prostate cancer is more common in South African blacks as compared to whites. In very old men prostate cancer is not always clinically significant. Autopsy data indicate a 70% incidence of prostate cancer in 80 year old men. The majority of these men died with rather than from prostate cancer.

3 Causes of prostate cancer

There is no single cause of prostate cancer. The cancer originates in the epithelial cells of the glandular elements of the prostate. As with most cancers defects in the DNA of the cell are central to the development of prostate cancer. Multiple DNA defects are required for cancer to develop. This multi-step process takes place over time. Some defects can be inherited, while others are acquired during the patient's lifetime. Prostate cancer is exceedingly rare before the age of 40, but 1 in 8 men between the ages of 60 and 80 years suffer from the disease. 9% of all prostate cancers are caused by a genetic susceptibility, probably inherited via chromosome 1. These genetically related cancers tend to present at a relatively younger age.

4 What is prostatitis?

Prostatitis means ?inflammation of the prostate?, and is one of the most common reasons men visiting the doctor in the western world. It is most common in men over the age of 30, and particularly in men over the age of 60. While prostatitis is treatable, diagnosis can be lengthy and not all treatments are successful. This is partly because the various causes of prostatitis are not fully understood. There are three main types of prostatitis:

? Acute prostatitis, which develops suddenly and may not be permanent.

? Non-bacterial prostatitis, which may develop suddenly or follow a slower or variable course. It is now more commonly called chronic male pelvic pain syndrome because it cannot be proved to be ?non-bacterial?, though a bacterial cause cannot be identified.

? Chronic (bacterial) prostatitis, which develops gradually and may only have subtle symptoms, though it often continues for a prolonged period.

? asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis - which has no symptoms at all but results in an inflamed prostate, is sometimes mentioned. It has been discovered when biopsies are conducted on the prostate to rule out cancer, and no cancer is found. This is a histological and not a clinical diagnosis. Prostatitis is often reported on the histological analysis of TURP specimens when the prostate resection was performed for symptoms of BPH. If the patient is asymptomatic this histological finding does not warrant any treatment.

With our next information - we will inform you about the ?Symptoms of prostate cancer? - so you should have a look on this site in the next 2 weeks! If you have any question send us your e-mail.

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