Most Common Cancer Kills 500 Every Week

CBN ^ | 06.11.07 | Gailon Totheroh

[Coleus]

The most common category of cancer may not be what you think it is. It's not breast cancer -- that's number three. And lung cancer is number two. With 218,000 new cases expected in 2007, number one is prostate cancer. This cancer is not just striking retired men. "The fact is prostate cancer happens most commonly to men in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. In other words, it occurs while men are at work."

Surgeon Arnon Krongrad says those busy men often overlook the importance of getting tested. That means getting what's known as a PSA test. It measures blood levels of prostate specific antigen but it's far from accurate. A high reading may not mean you have cancer. A normal level doesn't automatically mean a man is cancer free. But a new test checks the blood for EPCA-2, a more accurate indicator of prostate cancer. "It hasn't been widely used," Krongrad said. "It's been reported only once, but it's exactly the sort of test that we would hope to see come along."

Either way, a suspect reading often leads to a biopsy. This painful procedure draws cell samples from the prostate to analyze for cancer. If cancer is confirmed, men have several options. Radiation, drugs, nutrition, and surgery have all been successful for many men.

But less invasive surgery is leading the way

"Laparoscopic approaches to radical prostatectomy simply mean that we do the operation through small puncture wounds, such that we have much less bleeding and much less pain," Krongrad said. But prevention is the best medicine. That includes limiting foods that produce inflammatory conditions conducive to cancer. Red meats such as beef and pork; Most vegetable oils except olive oil; Trans fats -- also called hydrogenated oils -- that are used by the food industry; Milk, especially non-fat; Sugars and simple carbs; MSG -- monosodium glutamate -- and related additives.

Regular exercise and eating lots of fruits and vegetables provide better health in general and less prostate cancer. Taking a multivitamin can help add nutrients such as Vitamins D and E, Selenium and Zinc also help reduce the risk. And then there are the herbs that help: Saw palmetto and nettle fight growth of the prostate that leads to urination problems. Turmeric extract helps the entire body battle that damaging inflammation. Quercetin may help prevent or even treat prostate cancer by blocking male hormones that encourage the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Krongrad is calling for action -- considering 500 men die every week. "To put that into concrete terms, imagine a jumbo jet crashing into a mountain every Friday." Dr. Krongrad is also the medical advisor for this Friday's "Prostate Cancer Awareness Day" -- which comes just two days before Father's Day.

[Coleus]

American Prostate Cancer Initiative, Sneakers at Work Day, Friday, June 15, 2007

[Coleus]

.

[BBell]

Prostate cancer. So what color of ribbon are they going to come up with for prostate cancer awareness week?

[Rick_Michael]

Interesting article...makes me think about not eating red meat as often...THINK....lol.

[CarrotAndStick]

" Taking a multivitamin can help add nutrients such as Vitamins D and E, Selenium and Zinc also help reduce the risk."

'Excess of vitamins could trigger prostrate cancer'
17 May, 2007 l 0730 hrs IST



 

WASHINGTON: Taking too many multi-vitamin supplements could increase the risk of prostrate cancer, according to a new study.

Moderate use of multi-vitamins shows no increased risk, but "taking too many multivitamins may be associated with an increased risk for advanced or fatal prostate cancers," said the Journal of the National Cancer Institute study published on Wednesday.

Millions of Americans pop multi-vitamin pills in a bid to stay in shape, although scientific evidence on whether they help protect against chronic illnesses remains inconclusive.

"The researchers found no association between multivitamin use and the risk of localised prostate cancer.

"But they did find an increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer among men who used multivitamins more than seven times a week, compared with men who did not use multivitamins," the study said.

Some 295,343 men and their eating habits were followed in the study conducted at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

About a third said they took multi-vitamins on a daily basis, with five per cent saying they took large quantities of tablets, more than seven pills a week.

In the five years since the start of the study, 10,241 of the volunteers were diagnosed with prostate cancer, 8,765 with a localised tumor and 1,476 with an advanced form of cancer.

A total of 179 died from the disease.

The incidence of the illness was higher in those men who had a family history of prostate cancer and "men who also took selenium, beta-carotene, or zinc supplements," the study said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthScience/Excess_of_vitamins_could_trigger_prostrate_cancer/articleshow/2055976.cms

[JohnBovenmyer]

Not true, at least in terms of number of cases. The most common cancer is Basal Cell Carcinoma of the skin, with likely over a million cases a year. The second most common skin cancer, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, may also be competitive with prostate cancer. However, as neither is routinely captured by the cancer registries, their numbers aren’t as precisely known. Happily relatively few die from either, c. 2k/year, mostly from the Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

[kruss3]

Men who take double doses of multivitamins are a self-selected group who are already aware that something is wrong with their bodies or their genetic prospects.

Taking 2000 IU of vitamin D daily and getting 10-12 minutes of intense sunshine will reduce your prostate cancer risk by about 50%. Taking vitamin D, giving blood and reducing your serum ferritin (iron storage) down to what is normal for premenopausal women (20-50), will probably reduce your overall prostate cancer risk by about 95%.

[caveat emptor]

The incidence of the illness was higher in those men who had a family history of prostate cancer and "men who also took selenium, beta-carotene, or zinc supplements," the study said.

(Emphasis is yours). A few thoughts on this study, especially the above:

There was no mention of any screening of the participants or mention of any pre-existing prostate cancer. As I recall (and confirmed with a few quick Googles), testosterone drives prostate cancer, and selenium, zinc and beta-carotene (or Vitamin A) are required for production of testosterone. As well, chemical or surgical castration is a treatment for prostate cancer. Looks like a poor study to me. "More grant money needed."

[FormerACLUmember]

Bump

[Zeon Cowboy]

Good article. I knew this already, but I don’t think many people are aware of how prevalent prostate cancer is.

[unspun]

Excerpt: In other words, it occurs while men are at work."

Unemployment help?

[petitfour]

Hubby says, “It helps if you get your sunshine (Vitamin D) via your” ahem, uh, how do I say this, “@$$, um, hole. But it only works for men.” Since women don’t get prostate cancer . . .

He said he added the “only works for men” part because you have to add a warning label. Otherwise, women will try it.

[CarrotAndStick]

I agree. I was playing on the antagonism in both of the articles.

[dr_lew]

Well, it’s hard to miss if you follow the news. There was Frank Zappa a few years ago, and then ... well, some others! I forget who all, but it seemed like there was a spate of Prostate Cancer victims.

[AmericaUnited]

Wear loose fitting underwear. I’m serious! There was a study that correlated that with significantly less prostrate cancer. Something about keeping “the parts” cooler and ventilated (just as designed) vs jammed up against the frame.

[bad company]

I'm so sick of being lied to.

Here in this article we have;

With 218,000 new cases expected in 2007, number one is prostate cancer

But over in an article I was reading earlier we find;

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States

Can't something just be bad? Does every flipping thing have to be the bestest/mostest/awfulestest?

Both articles were probably written be illegal aliens.

[rlmorel]

Come on...nobody is interested in Prostate cancer. It is a typical guy disease.

Sheesh you guys...stop wearing your cancers on your arm. (sarcasm off)

[SunkenCiv]

PSA tested and rubber gloved, just last week, at the free annual prostate screening.

[ArmstedFragg]

Actually, skin cancer is the most common cancer among men. PC is second. Although the incidence rate of PC is high, the cure rate is also quite high. Lung cancer, on the other hand, is the number one fatal cancer among men.

The approach to awareness that some of the various organizations is taking has undergone some recent changes. For years, the phrase “get it checked” was the slogan for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month (September). Now, having apparently given up hope of ever convincing ‘boomers’ to do much of anything, they’re trying to get the kids to drag the old man down to the doctor, so this year the slogan is “do it for dad”.

Both slogans represent good advice.

[ArmstedFragg]

I don’t think many people are aware of how prevalent prostate cancer is.

The quick way to express the incidence rate is "one out of six". The vast majority will die WITH it, but not FROM it. It's a routine finding in autopsies of men over 85.

I disagree with the article's comments about Saw Palmetto, too. Taking it can mask the symptoms because it causes PSA to drop. Not a good idea unless one knows those symptoms are benign.