Stroke, Prostate Cancer, Laughter and the Melting Mood

My recovery from a stroke suffered in 2001 seemed glacially slow while it was taking place. Now, howeverI feel almost completely recovered, and the difficulties with my right hand and arm and the speech problems are like dim recollections of something that happened decades ago.

I still have difficulty with cuff buttons on starched cuffs. My handwriting is slow. My singing voice is on furlough and recent attempts to throw a ball have been errant embarrassments, but I haven't taken the time to practice in order to restore either of those activities to previous levels of ability. Still, my golf game is pretty much back to where it was. I am exultant at having escaped the permanent serious disabilities that are visited on so many stroke victims.

One persistent symptom is pathological laughter. When I think of something funny or just vaguely silly or ironic, I crack up so badly that I am unable to speak for a minute or two. I never, previous to stroke, exhibited such idiotic laughter. On the plus side, my hysterics can be contagious. In social situations I often manage to get my companions laughing with nearly the same uncontrollability that plagues me. Technically, the symptom may result from lesions in the internal capsule and thalamus, basal ganglion, hypothalamus and ventral pons or from a cortical infarct in the territory supplied by the superior division of the middle cerebral artery.

Such laughter is often associated with weeping. I have not done much blubbering since my stroke, but I did some research on these matters In recent weeks I have discovered in myself new or at least altered emotions. I am not merely getting in touch with my feminine side but being overwhelmed by it. About a month ago I was injected with a time-released dose of Lupron, an activator of female hormones. Each day I also ingest one tablet of Casodex, which along with the injection serves to limit my ordinary testosterone production, thereby shrinking my hyperplastic prostate gland and stopping the development of the malignancy contained therein. The doctors told me I could expect weight gain, loss of muscle mass, diminution of energy, hot flashes, possible development of breast tissue and loss of body hair. Fortunately, the latter two items have not manifested themselves and I don?t think I?ve had anything like a hot flash. I wouldn?t have minded some hair growth in the area of my male pattern baldness, but that too has not occurred. Most surprising have been the changes in my emotional reactions.

For example, I lost control once on the telephone with a long-time friend discussing an ailment that had befallen the family dog. I feared the situation might necessitate euthanasia. To my surprise and shock, I dissolved into uncontrollable sobs. I don?t remember weeping so violently since I began to count my age in double digits.

Another time, I had just finished reading a novel by a favorite author. A subplot involved some tense scenes such as the discovery by parents of their high-school-aged son?s involvement in a gang rape. I found that I had a strongly empathic response to the mother, who was shamed and devastated and felt that she herself had been attacked and dishonored by her beloved son. I looked down on the father, regarding him as more of a proud, egocentric, disgustingly macho jackass than I would have had I read the book six months ago. Possibly in this fortieth novel that I have read by Robert B. Parker, he has suddenly improved his craft and is handling dialog and description with greater effectiveness. Or maybe I have shed some layers of callus from my emotional response centers and am more susceptible to sentimentality. I have a new understanding for the Player King in Hamlet, who breaks down in his speech about Hecuba and occasions Hamlet?s ?O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!? soliloquy Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her working all his visage wan?d; Tears in his eyes, distraction in?s aspect, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit? And all for nothing! For Hecuba? >

And then came the news of my brother?a hard-drinking, robust giant?felled by a mysterious ailment that put him in the intensive care unit for a month. Listening to his wife struggling with tears as she told me of his precarious condition, I found myself once again prostrate with sadness. In recent years I have handled the deaths of my father and mother without great distress. Orphanhood, after all, is in store for all of us who live lives of normal length. But the possibility of becoming a 65-year-old only child brought on a period of abject grief that has been relieved slightly by guarded news of Kevin?s improvement.

Is my recent susceptibility to the lachrymose mood merely an aspect of advancing age, or can I blame my recent health problems and the hormone-releasing cancer treatment. I think of Othello? Of one whose subdued eyes, Albeit unused to the melting mood, Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees Their medicinal gum.

On a more cheerful major chord. Chloe, our beloved Wheaton Terrier, seems to have shaken off the apparent pinched nerve that for a while had rendered her nearly catatonic. She?s leaping about and chasing seabirds at the beach just as she used to. Sean is out of intensive care but not out of the woods. He is no longer hallucinating or requiring the almost constant supervision of the hospital?s biggest male nurse to keep him from tearing out his IVs and trying to leave the hospital. I will fly down for a visit this Saturday and Sunday when I have a break from radiation treatments.

* * * * * *

Yes, two years after my stroke I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent the treatments mentioned above. Whether the tear floods mentioned above were triggered by cancer treatment or a result of stroke is unimportant. I have had no recurrences of the weeping?only of the laughter. Given a choice, I'll go for laughter every time. And Sean is himself again?back at work full-time.

Kerry Michael Wood, retired from a 37-year career as English teacher and textbook co-author, lives in Pacific Grove, California with his wife of 42 years. He taught in public and private schools in California as well as Istanbul, Turkey. He is the author of Past Imperfect, Present Progressive, a memoir. Further information is available at http://www.kerrymwood.com and he can be contacted at kerrywood@redshift.com.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms And Treatments

Prostate cancer is one of the most common type of cancer affecting 1 in every 6 males. In it?s early stages, prostate cancer has few symptoms and many of the symptoms associated with this disease are also symptoms found in other less serious illnesses. Prevalent symptoms of prostate problems which may or may not signal cancer include: frequent urination, bloody urine, burning urination, lower back pain or pain in the pelvis or upper thighs, blood in semen, pain during ejaculation, stopping and starting urination along with not being able to urinate.

The treatment course for prostate cancer differs depending on the location and size of the tumor as well as the patients health. In some cases, if the cancer is a slow growing one and you are advanced in age, the treatment may simply be that of watchful waiting. If the cancer is not causing any symptoms, then your physician may opt to simply keep and eye on it?s growth. This will entail a PSA blood test every few months as well as biopsies every year to see if and how fast it is growing. If it starts to grow faster, additional treatment may be recommended.

Some treatments for prostate cancer include:

A surgical procedure called a radical prostatectomy may be done to remove the cancer provided it has not spread outside of the prostate. The whole gland and surrounding tissue is removed in the hopes of removing all the cancer.

Radiotherapy employs x-rays to treat cancer and is relatively pain free. During this course of treatment, radiation is pointed towards your prostate in the hopes of shrinking or even eliminating the cancer. This technique can have adverse effects such as impotance and diarrhea.

Brachytherapy, is a method of radiotherapy on which something is implanted in the patient to treat the cancer. This method of treatment involves less visits to the hospital as opposed to radiation therapy (which is typically done every day) although it does require a little external radiotherapy also.

Hormone therapy is used to lower the level of androgens which cause prostate cancer to grow. This treatment is mostly used in men whose cancer has spread or returned after earlier treatments. While it will not cure the cancer, it can shrink it or slow it?s growth and may be used in conjunction with other treatments.

Chemotherapy is typically not effective against prostate cancer although newer drugs developed in recent years have shown the ability to relieve symptoms in men with advanced prostate cancer. Chemotherapy may be employed if the cancer has spread outside the prostate in order to shrink the cancer or slow it?s growth.

While many prostate symptoms indicate a problem other than cancer, it is vital that you see your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms listed above. Prompt treatment is your best chance for a cure.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://prostate.health-webzone.com where you can learn more about different types of prostate conditions.

Prostate

The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. It is located just below the bladder and wraps around the urethra. The prostate gland measures 3-4 cm long and 3-5 cm in width. On average, the prostate gland weighs 20 grams. The prostate consists of approximately 30% muscular tissue while the remaining is glandular tissue.

Seminal vesicles are attached to the prostate and produce material that mixes with prostatic fluid to form semen. The tubes from the testicles carry sperm to the prostate, which mixes with the seminal fluid and is ejaculated during orgasm.

The prostate may increase in size as age progresses. This condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). More than 40% of men have an enlarged prostate by the age of 70. Enlargement of the prostate causes it to press against the urethra and weaken the flow of urine. An increase in size may indicate the condition of benign prostatic hyperplasia or a urologic condition. It need not necessarily indicate the growth of cancer cells. Benign prostatic hyperplasia does not increase the risk of prostate cancer but indicates the possibility of occurrence.

Three common diseases of the prostate are benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostates and prostate cancer. Each condition affects the prostate differently.

The male sex hormone, testosterone, plays an important part in the normal growth and function of the prostate gland. The testicles produce testosterone and is a concern for those diagnosed with hormone-dependent prostate cancer. As long as testosterone is produced, prostate cancer is very likely to grow and spread throughout the body.

The prostate has various concentric zones, known as the anterior fibromuscular stroma, peripheral zone, central zone and transition zone. A doctor is able to examine the peripheral zone by inserting a finger in the rectum. Benign prostatic hyperplasia develops in the transition zone and grows in size. The anterior fibromuscular stroma is the anchoring point of the urethra

sphincter. It does not contain any glands and hence cancer or enlargement does not usually develop there. It is essential to contact a urologist in case one experiences the symptoms to ensure early preventive care.

Prostate provides detailed information on Prostate, Prostate Cancer, Prostate Health, Prostate Cancer Treatment and more. Prostate is affiliated with Prostate Cancer Treatments.

Prostate Health

Diet and lifestyle play important roles in keeping the prostate healthy. Food and the environment influence the way the body functions. The body has natural defenses against allowing normal cells to become cancerous and allowing cancer cells to grow. Ingestion of certain nutrients may decrease the chances of developing prostate cancer or reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Certain nutrients may also slow down the progression of the disease.

Adopting certain dietary changes is an important step towards better prostate health. Obesity is known to increase the risk of prostate cancer. Research shows that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test results in obese men can be lower despite the presence of disease, potentially leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. The recovery from surgery tends to be longer and more difficult and the risk of death due to prostate cancer can be higher.

Weight management is essential for good prostate health. Regular exercise is necessary to maintain muscle strength and endurance. An increase in the intake of vegetables and nuts can prove beneficial. Tomatoes, watermelons, pink grapefruits, guava and papaya contain lycopene, a naturally occurring chemical. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that help protect the body against cancer.

Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts contain sulforaphane, a compound that increases activity of proteins and clears out carcinogens from the body. Carcinogens are substances known to cause cancer and are ingested into our body on a regular basis.

Isoflayones found in soy and polyphenols found in green tea, interrupt the growth pathways of cancer cells. Asian men are known to consume soy and green tea regularly and hence are at a lesser risk of being afflicted with prostate cancer.

Vitamins and minerals in food help regulate many of the body?s processes and functions. They help monitor the balance between cancer cell growth and cancer cell death. Research over the years has shown that the loss of vitamins and minerals contribute to uncontrolled cancer cell growth. An increase in the intake of foods rich in vitamins and minerals like lettuce, cereals, citrus fruits, milk and carrots, help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Since men lose zinc during every seminal emission, their need for the mineral is higher than a woman's. Pumpkin seeds, oysters and shellfish are good sources of zinc. Following these simple dietary tips ensures good prostrate health.

Prostate provides detailed information on Prostate, Prostate Cancer, Prostate Health, Prostate Cancer Treatment and more. Prostate is affiliated with Prostate Cancer Treatments

Super Foods for Prostate Health

Prostate cancer is a very scary thought for most men. The idea that every single man, if unencumbered by other diseases, will in his lifetime eventually have either an enlarged prostate or suffer varying degrees of prostate cancer is no secret any more.

The difference now is, we've become a nutritionally advanced culture who has learned more and more about natural supplements and products that can help us achieve and maintain health much longer than we used to, as well as to eat the right foods that will make our organs function at peak levels well into late ages.

Prostate health is no different. There are foods that you can eat that will help keep your walnut-sized prostate gland functioning at peak performance, and in healthy condition for a longer time than if you had a nutritionally lacking diet.

The foods that a man can eat to support the health of your prostate actually have multiple health benefits in addition to prostate health. This is because they are mostly classed into a coined group of foods dubbed "super foods" for their healing and health promoting properties, as well as therapeutic uses.

What are these "super foods" for prostate health you ask? Well, the first one may be a bit surprising for a guy to hear, because this nutrient rich food is usually reserved for female health. It's soy.

The compound derived from the common soybean, which is so many time suggested as a benefit to women's health. Well, some research has shown that soy derived products can also support a man's prostate health as well. Soy is a common ingredient in vegetarian and vegan dishes.

It is used because it is so versatile, and easily absorbs the flavors of other foods, and can easily emulate these foods as well. Soy burgers, soy cheese, and other soy products that taste like meat and poultry have a lot of soy in them, but it's actually best when you get it in the form of the actual soybean or in tofu, because it is not so radically processed at this point.

You can also buy powdered soy genistein, which is actually the active chemical in soy products (not all though) that can be an excellent cancer thwarting agent.

Another good food for prostate health is fruit. This may seem like common sense, but there is a slightly more complex reason that fruits may be good for your prostate. Fruits contain a natural sugar in them which has been found to have a protective effect on the male prostate gland. There is another natural chemical compound in some fruits called lycopene, which has been shown to have very beneficial effects.

This natural nutritionally powerful compound gives fruits and veggies a deep red color, so the deeper the red, the more lycopene it is likely to have. Men who were studied and had diets high in fruits and vegetable rich in lycopene were also found to have less incidence of prostate cancer.

Saw palmetto, an herb that is fairly inexpensive to come by, has long been thought to provide great benefit to men with an enlarged prostate, and to help continue prostate health. Some have refuted this, but nonetheless there is some anecdotal proof out there that men may not want to bypass the likelihood this herb still has great benefit to overall male health, especially prostate health.

As far as foods to avoid to keep the prostate gland in good shape and functioning properly and efficiently, milk has been found to be a possible deterrent to maintaining the health of this important gland.

Perhaps just limiting the consumption of milk or dairy in general would be prudent, especially for men in their older age where every little bit might help. Another possibility would be to replace milk with a milk substitute such as soy milk (kill two birds with one stone).

As long as you maintain a quality diet with a variety of color, less red meats and more fruits and veggies, you can rest assured you are doing all you can to promote a long, healthy and complication free life for your prostate gland. Not only that, these foods will benefit other areas of your health as well, making it well worth your while to pay attention to what you put in your body.


Danna Schneider is the founder of Men's Health and Enhancement , an online magazine about innovations and news in mens health, and also contributes to Herbal and Alternative Health , where various supplements and alternative treatments can be found.

10 Important Steps To Beat Your Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States and it is the second most common cause of cancer death in men over age 55. The incidence of prostate cancer increases dramatically with each decade after 50. Fortunately, prostate cancer tends to be slow-growing compared to many other cancers - the majority of prostate cancers either do not spread or cause any significant harm for decades.
In general, men run a 1-in-6 chance of developing prostate cancer at some point in their lives. More than 230,000 new cases are expected this year in the United States, with about 27,000 deaths.
Most men will choose conventional treatment, often surgery or radiation, but there are life-changing potential side effects they need to be aware of, and discuss with their doctors.
Surgery, called a prostatectomy for the surgical removal of the prostate gland, means impotence for about 75% of the men choosing this path, according to a September 2004 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Also, about 14% of the men were incontinent - could not control their bladder - five years after the operation.
With standard radiation therapy, the odds of impotence are about the same, 73%. The incontinence rate was much lower, just under 5%. There are new radiation therapies we discussed in the new guidebook How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer that have better outcomes.
No matter what conventional therapy a man chooses, if he does nothing else there is a 30% to 40% chance that his cancer or another cancer will recur. That's because his immune system was not strong enough to protect him from the first cancer, and if he does nothing it will be no stronger the next time it is needed. In addition, radiation and chemotherapy depress the immune system, leaving it weaker than it was before you got treatment. Finally, any cancerous cells that survive the radiation and chemotherapy treatments, or escape the surgeon's knife - and a few ALWAYS do - must be cleaned up by the immune system. Yet those cells that survived radiation or chemotherapy are, by definition, the strongest mutant cells. Cells that survive chemotherapy even have their own name: Multi-drug resistant. All of this means that if a man's cancer recurs, the cure rates the second time around are much, much lower - on the order of 5% survival.
So even if a man chooses conventional treatment, the information and advice on alternative treatments in How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer is very important for his recovery and continued good health.
Here are 5 of the 10 important steps covered in a Free Report by the authors of How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer that have worked for others:
1. Pick a doctor carefully. The numbers above on impotence and incontinence are pretty scary. Top surgeons who perform hundreds of these operations tend to have better numbers, and you should ALWAYS get the statistics in advance from any doctor before you let them treat you. Remember that if you are talking to a surgeon, he probably will want to operate. If your doctor is a radiation oncologist, don't be surprised if he pushes radiation. A clinical oncologist might counsel chemotherapy. Always consider the source. If you want to try alternative therapy first, since you really are not pressed for time, choose an alternative doctor or health care practitioner just as carefully.
2. Boost your immune system. If you're going to undergo conventional treatment, you need to boost your immune system to deal with the impact of chemotherapy and radiation. You also need to clean up the remaining cells after therapy, and then build back your immune system so cancer does not recur. If you are going to pursue an alternative treatment path while you have the time, boosting your immune system is Job #1. Several chapters in How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer show you how to do that.
3. Alkalize your internal environment. Cancer cells are highly acidic, and cancer can't live in an alkaline environment. You can test your pH level with test strips from the pharmacy or health food store. It should be over 7.0, preferably in the 7.2 to 7.4 range. If your internal body environment is acidic, it makes it much easier for cancer to grow and metastasize. Prostate cancer often metastasizes to the bones, making it much harder to beat.
4. Get more oxygen to your cells. Cancer hates oxygen. In the lab, when they are doing an experiment where they want cancerous cells to grow quickly, they simply turn down the oxygen. When they want to stabilize the experiment, they turn the oxygen back up. The same is true of your body.
5. Take vitamins and supplements. If you eat the Standard American Diet, you are eating fruits and vegetables grown on depleted soil, picked too early so they won't ripen and spoil while they're in the distribution chain, and then probably overcooked. Even if you are eating organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed pastured meat and raw milk, you still can't get the massive amounts of vitamins and supplements you need to let your immune system overcome a cancerous tumor that has become established. You must take high-quality vitamins and minerals, digestive enzymes and specific anti-cancer supplements like those recommended in Chapter 7 of How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer.
* * * * * The complete Free Report with all 10 important steps a man can take to begin fighting his prostate cancer right away can be obtained from http://www.Beat-Prostate-Cancer.net. ? Cures Research Institute 2006

Michael Murphy is the Executive Director of the Cures Research Institute, an organization dedicated to researching and combining the best conventional and alternative therapies to provide better outcomes for people with serious health problems.

PROSTATE HEALTH AND CANCER

RISK

The lifetime risk of dying from prostate cancer is less than 4%. Factors associated with risk of non-curable prostate cancer include age at the time of diagnosis, PSA level and density.

For a man whose father had prostate cancer, the risk is about two and one third times normal. Growing older raises your risk of prostate problems and tall men have a moderately higher risk of developing it, and 60% of newly diagnosed cases occurred in men over the age of 70.

Maintaining a healthy weight with regular physical activity may help to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

CANCER

Given the limitations of the current knowledge of the molecular pathology of prostate cancer, there are several viewpoints regarding the process of tumorigenesis. Widespread testing for early detection, utilising digital rectal examination and prostate specific antigen (PSA) has led to a significant clinical conundrum. To prevent prostate cancer, doctors recommend a healthy diet, low in saturated fats and high in fruits and vegetables, together with regular physical activity.

Rising PSA levels can be a sign of prostate cancer progression, which needs careful monitoring. Vasectomy for sterilisation has been linked to prostate disorders and even cancer, yet early prostate cancer often does not cause symptoms. If the cancer, however, has spread beyond the prostate, it can be difficult to treat and cure.

GLAND

In order to examine this gland, the doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum and searches the prostate gland, noting any abnormalities in size, contour or consistency.

TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE (turp) This is a surgical procedure by which portions of the prostate gland are removed through the penis.

PROSTATALGIA. Pain in the prostate gland.

RADICAL RETROPUBIC PROSTATECTOMY. This is an operation to remove the entire prostate gland and seminal vesicles through the lower abdomen.

The prostate gland is a small gland in men and lies just under the bladder. Certain conditions of the prostate, may raise the level of a substance produced by the gland called Prostate Specif Antigen - PSA..The gland is covered by a membrane called the prostate capsule that produces the psa. Enjoyment of sexual activity is encouraged as it activates the prostate gland and keeps it from getting stagnant and inflamed.

PROSTATECTOMY.

Radical prostatectomy may mean the removal of the erectile nerves, but penile sensation and the ability to have orgasm are preserved. Currently the average hospital stay after such surgery is two to three days. Full activity can be resumed about a month after the operation. However, loss of ejaculation with orgasm may result.

FINALLY:

TEST.

The PSA is considered a better indicator of whether a man may have prostate problems. A PSA blood test is a laboratory procedure that measures the amount of prostate specific antigen in your blood. A high reading, however, does not mean that cancer is present, and by the same token low PSA readings do not always mean that the prostate is cancer free.

Tony Bryan ? 2006.About the author: Tony Bryan has health web sites the main one is at http://www.healthwyse-one.com You may reprint this article providing the 'About the Author' box is reprinted with it, otherwise copyright procedures apply.

Prostate Cancer: Why Eating Well Is The Best Defense?

No other human organ is as susceptible to cancer as the prostate. Each year, an estimated 209,900 American men are diagnosed with the disease, making it the most prevalent form of cancer in the United States. Although lung cancer claims more than twice as many men?s lives each year, prostate cancer is the second most lethal male cancer, killing 41,800 men annually.

In fact, the malady is so widespread that by age 65, nearly two out of three males may develop minute tumors producing in their ?prostates,? the walnut-size gland that is wrapped around the urethra, the tube that drains the bladder. And some doctors believe that if men lived long enough, every man would develop the disease.

Curiously, the vast majority of men who have the disease will never know it. That is because prostate cancer normally manifests a gradual growth of tumor, often taking 20 to 30 years to become large enough to be detected by any currently available tests or to bring about serious health problems.

By then, many older men who had these small tumors will have long since died of other origins such as heart disease and stroke.

According to some urologic oncology experts, many more men die with prostate cancer than from it. They contend that if they could just slow the growth of the tumor so that it takes 40 to 60 years to progress instead of 20 to 30, which would amount to a cure for many men.

Doctors suspect that dietary changes may help men stall the progress of disease and prevent it from becoming life threatening. Here are a few prostate protectors.

1. Go lean fat

Lowering your fat intake to 20% of your total calories, that is about 44 grams of fat if you eat 2,000 calories a day, is one of the best things that you can do to slash your risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer.

2. Turn away from red meat

Beef and other red meats are loaded with saturated fat, a type of fat linked to development of several cancers including prostate cancer.

In one study of 51, 000 American men, those who ate the most red meat were 2.6 times more likely to cultivate complex prostate cancer than men who avoided meat consumption.

3. Catch some fish

One reason why advanced prostate cancer is rare in china may be the quantity of fish in the diet. One study compared cancer rates of American men to men living in Shanghai, China, where people consume three times as much fish in their daily diet. The rate of prostate cancer for the American men was a dramatic 25.9 times higher than for the Chinese.

4. Discover the joy of soy

Health experts suggest that instead of meat, try substituting tofu, miso, and other soy foods in salads, casseroles, and soups.

Men in Japan eat many soy-based foods, benefiting from significantly high levels of genistein and genistin, two substances found in soy that may help clamp down on the disease.

5. Learn to like lycopene

A study at the Harvard School of Public Health tracked the eating habits of almost 50,000 health-care professionals for more than six years. The researchers concluded that lycopene, an antioxidant compound that gives tomatoes their distinctive red color, helps fight cancer.

So now you know the preventive measures in order to avoid developing prostate cancer, it is best that you start employing these tips in order to have a healthier, cancer-free life.

As the old adage goes, you are what you eat. So eat healthy in order to be healthy.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides prostate cancer resources on www.all-prostate-cancer-resources.info.

New Study Examines Antioxidant Impact On Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer as one of the most common types of cancer in men according to the American Cancer Society. Fortunately if caught early, the prognosis is good. Even better than treating it, is of course, avoiding it altogether. The search for the cause of prostate cancer is ongoing and a recent study was recently completed.

An eight year study of 29,361 men has just been completed. The study examined the impact of antioxidant supplements on the rate of prostate cancer. "There has been definite interest in their use, based on a few earlier studies that have been done" said lead researcher Richard B. Hayes, senior investigator in the division of cancer epidemiology and genetics at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Reporting in the Feb. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Hayes' team calculated the risk of prostate cancer for 29,361 men aged 55 to 74, all of whom were participants in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Screening Trial.

Some of the data that was analyzed included the amount of common antioxidant supplements including vitamin C, beta carotene, and vitamin E. Some of the men had been taking these supplements for many years prior to the study.

Over the total eight year study period, 1,338 men developed prostate cancer. The results indicate that the use of antioxidant supplements had no positive impact on the risk for prostate cancer for most nonsmokers. Beta carotene supplements did have a positive impact among men that had low dietary intake of beta carotene.

Vitamin E did have a positive impact for smokers according to the research. This was consistent with previous trials.
Although the three supplements studied in this trial showed little help in preventing prostate cancer, previous trials that examined other supplements did show very encouraging results.

Fish oils, which contain EPA and DHA, were found to reduce prostate cancer by 11% in men that consumed about 470 mg./day. Selenium has been found to cut prostate cancer in half. Over five clinical trials have supported this. It is recommended that men take a 200 micrograms of selenium daily.
Neal is a health care researcher and has more prostate information on his website at prostate cancer. He also provides plastic surgery information.

Diet For Healthy Prostate - Why Soy Is Not Just For Women

Researchers from Canada have found that having a diet of red meat, organ meats, soft drink and bottled water increased the risk of getting prostate cancer. They compared the diets of 80 men with prostate cancer, and 334 healthy men, and the diet just described more than doubled the risk of developing prostate cancer.

So what prostate diet can reduce the risk of prostate cancer? Swedish researchers examined the diet of 1499 men with prostate cancer and 1130 men who were healthy, and they published their findings in the Cancer Causes and Control journal. They found that eating foods rich in phytoestrogens decreased the risk of prostate cancer.

Phytoestrogens are plant molecules that have a weak estrogenic effect. They are made converted in the intestines from plant precursors by bacteria as they digest food. They are taken up by the same parts of the body that process the hormone estrogen.

Interestingly, one of the treatments for prostate cancer by doctors involves using estrogens to reduce the level of testosterone in men with advanced prostate cancer. It does this indirectly, through its effect on the hypothalamus, as less luteinizing hormone releasing hormone is produced by the hypothalamus. This means not as much luteinizing hormone is released by the body, which suppresses the production of testosterone.

High doses of estrogens for men can lead to cardiovascular complications. But phytoestrogens obtained from diet, in less quantities than a drug, and with a milder effect to start with, should not pose a problem. And researchers don't yet know what exactly causes phytoestrogens to have such a protective effect, whether it is similar to that of the estrogen treatment for advanced prostate cancers. And they don't know which phytoestrogens are the most active.

So what phytoestrogen foods could you include in a diet for a healthy prostate? Soy beans and nuts are a good source. Soy and nuts contain a type of phytoestrogen called isoflavones, whilst berries and seeds contain lignans. Foods could include peanuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and berries.

The only possible concerns with soy is that a study in mice found that male mice that had a type of heart disease that people also have, suffered heart failure when fed a soy based diet. Whether this extrapolates to the human population is yet to be established. But it may be wise for those me who have this particular genetic heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, to be cautious about soy products in their diet.

But for other men, soy products could be good news. A meta analysis, which is a study of related studies, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that diets high in soy lowered men's risk of prostate cancer by 30%.

Another important mineral to consider for men is zinc. Zinc is used by men's bodies to make some of the male hormones, and for general prostate health. A deficiency in zinc can lead to problems with the testicles, the prostate, and the health of the sperm. Foods that are great sources of zinc include seeds like pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower; nuts like almonds, brazil, cashews and walnuts; and foods like lettuce, oats and onions. Raw onion is particularly suggested by Paul Bedson, a natural therapist. He also suggests vegetable juice made of equal parts of beetroot, carrot, and cucumber in cases where the prostate gland is enlarged. Cranberry juice, a cup drunk three times a day, is also recommended in this case.

References:
1. phoenix5.org/Infolink/advanced/estrogen.html
2. Australian Healthy Food, March 2006
3. Australian Healthy Food, November, 2005
4. Paul Bedson, The Complete Family Guide To Natural Healing
5. nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=65785&m=1NIE213&c=qgtqmovbyiaxdub
If you're interested in a health prostate supplement that promotes healthy prostate, bladder and kidney functions, click here: http://www.vitaminstohealth.com/health-prostate-supplement.html. Rebecca Prescott runs this site which presents comprehensive reviews of vitamins and supplements: http://www.vitaminstohealth.com.

Diagnosis of prostate cancer

The diagnosis of prostate cancer can be made on clinical suspicion of the disease, following screening, or as an incidental finding during transurethral resection for suspected benign disease (TURP).

Clinically suspected prostate cancer Prostate cancer can be completely asymptomatic or present with symptoms similar to benign prostatic enlargement (see symptoms). It can also present with the symptoms of metastatic disease. On digital rectal examination prostate cancer feels rock hard and nodular. Invasion into the surrounding structures may be palpable as a hard mass. Spread to the lymph glands may be palpable in the groins or pelvis. Bony metastases to the lumbar spine or pelvis are often tender to palpation. PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) is a substance excreted by all prostate cells. The blood level of PSA is elevated in prostate cancer and the level of elevation correlates with the extent of disease. The PSA level can also be elevated by benign diseases such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia. The normal range for PSA is 0 - 4 ng/ml. The higher the PSA the greater is the chance of having prostate cancer. Somebody with a PSA of 4 - 10 ng/ml has a 25% chance of having prostate cancer, while a PSA of greater than 10 carries a 50% risk of the disease. Very high levels of PSA (>100ng/ml) almost invariably indicate widespread metastatic disease. The diagnosis of prostate cancer is confirmed by needle biopsy and histological analysis of the biopsy specimens. A transrectal ultrasound scan is performed via a probe inserted into the rectum, and ultrasound guided needle biopsies of the prostate are taken. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic

Screening All healthy men over the age of 50 years should have annual prostate cancer checks. Black men and men with a positive family history should start at age 40. The aim of screening is to diagnose the disease at an early stage while it is still potentially curable. By the time prostate cancer becomes symptomatic it is usually beyond cure. The screening tests consist of a digital rectal examination and a PSA blood test. The prostate gland may feel entirely normal despite the presence of an early cancer. The combination of PSA and digital rectal examination is more sensitive than either test alone. If one or both of these tests are abnormal a transrectal ultrasound and needle biopsies of the prostate gland are performed.

Incidental finding following TURP Whenever a transurethral resection of the prostate gland is performed for suspected benign disease the removed tissue is sent for histological analysis. Occasionally evidence of unsuspected prostate cancer is found in the tissue. In a young man with an otherwise long life expectancy this is obviously significant. A tiny focus of cancer in an elderly man is probably not significant, since the prostate cancer will not have sufficient time to become bothersome.

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

Health-Service-Online Fritz Frei Admin

http://www.cancer-info.info

info@cancer-info.info

Fritz Frei - since more than 25 years in the Health-Consulting Business - he has build up different rehabilitation groups and offer now in the network the easy information about a better health and life. http://www.cancer-info.info

Diagnosis of prostate cancer

The diagnosis of prostate cancer can be made on clinical suspicion of the disease, following screening, or as an incidental finding during transurethral resection for suspected benign disease (TURP).

Clinically suspected prostate cancer Prostate cancer can be completely asymptomatic or present with symptoms similar to benign prostatic enlargement (see symptoms). It can also present with the symptoms of metastatic disease. On digital rectal examination prostate cancer feels rock hard and nodular. Invasion into the surrounding structures may be palpable as a hard mass. Spread to the lymph glands may be palpable in the groins or pelvis. Bony metastases to the lumbar spine or pelvis are often tender to palpation. PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) is a substance excreted by all prostate cells. The blood level of PSA is elevated in prostate cancer and the level of elevation correlates with the extent of disease. The PSA level can also be elevated by benign diseases such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia. The normal range for PSA is 0 - 4 ng/ml. The higher the PSA the greater is the chance of having prostate cancer. Somebody with a PSA of 4 - 10 ng/ml has a 25% chance of having prostate cancer, while a PSA of greater than 10 carries a 50% risk of the disease. Very high levels of PSA (>100ng/ml) almost invariably indicate widespread metastatic disease. The diagnosis of prostate cancer is confirmed by needle biopsy and histological analysis of the biopsy specimens. A transrectal ultrasound scan is performed via a probe inserted into the rectum, and ultrasound guided needle biopsies of the prostate are taken. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic

Screening All healthy men over the age of 50 years should have annual prostate cancer checks. Black men and men with a positive family history should start at age 40. The aim of screening is to diagnose the disease at an early stage while it is still potentially curable. By the time prostate cancer becomes symptomatic it is usually beyond cure. The screening tests consist of a digital rectal examination and a PSA blood test. The prostate gland may feel entirely normal despite the presence of an early cancer. The combination of PSA and digital rectal examination is more sensitive than either test alone. If one or both of these tests are abnormal a transrectal ultrasound and needle biopsies of the prostate gland are performed.

Incidental finding following TURP Whenever a transurethral resection of the prostate gland is performed for suspected benign disease the removed tissue is sent for histological analysis. Occasionally evidence of unsuspected prostate cancer is found in the tissue. In a young man with an otherwise long life expectancy this is obviously significant. A tiny focus of cancer in an elderly man is probably not significant, since the prostate cancer will not have sufficient time to become bothersome.

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

Health-Service-Online Fritz Frei Admin

http://www.cancer-info.info

info@cancer-info.info

Fritz Frei - since more than 25 years in the Health-Consulting Business - he has build up different rehabilitation groups and offer now in the network the easy information about a better health and life. http://www.cancer-info.info