PREVENTING PROSTATE
CANCER: In the battle against prostate cancer, men need all the ammunition they can get-and a healthy diet can help them reduce their risk. One man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society, but many of these cases may be preventable with diet alone. Scientific studies have shown that a meat-free, dairy-free diet, combined with other lifestyle changes, can help keep early-stage prostate cancer from worsening and may help prevent prostate cancer. Dairy products are a major culprit in prostate cancer risk. In one long-term study, researchers tracked more than 20,000 male physicians for 11 years and found a moderate elevation in prostate cancer risk associated with higher intake of five dairy products, including milk, cheese, and ice cream. Milk drinking raises the amount of insulin-like growth factor (IGF1), which is believed to play a key role in causing prostate cancer, in the blood. Men who consume low-fat and nonfat milk also face an increased risk of prostate cancer, according to two 2007 studies in the American Journal of Epidemiology. One study included 82,483 men in the Multiethnic Cohort Study, 4,404 of whom developed prostate cancer over an average follow-up of eight years. Researchers found a positive association between consuming 1 cup or more per day of low-fat or nonfat milk and developing prostate cancer. The other study included 293,888 participants in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP Diet and Health Study. Consuming two or more daily servings of skim milk was associated with an increased risk of advanced prostate cancer. British researchers report that a diet free of meat and dairy products may lower a man's risk for developing prostate cancer. An Oxford study of 696 men found that IGF- 1 levels were 9 percent lower in vegan men than in meat-eating men. The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2000, also mentions previous population studies showing that countries with low consumption of animal products had lower rates of the disease. Some of the most impressive research on diet and prostate cancer has come from Dean Omish, MD, best known for his groundbreaking study on the effects of diet and lifestyle factors on heart disease. Dr. Omish's 2005 study, published in The Journal of Urology, showed the power of diet over prostate cancer. After one year on a low-fat vegan diet, complemented by moderate aerobic exercise and stress management, the prostate cancer survivors in the Omish study found their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels decreased by 4 percent. It is unusual for PSA levels to decrease without treatment. A control group saw its PSA levels rise by 6 percent. In addition, six of the men in the control group needed treatment during the one-year study period because their prostate cancer was progressing, but no one in the experimental group needed treatment. Gordon Saxe, MD, MPH, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, studies whether the adoption of a plant-based diet, reinforced by stress reduction, can slow the progression of recurrent prostate cancer. He's also studying the role of nutrition and genetics in cancer risk. Dr. Saxe presented some of his research at The Cancer Project's first annual Cancer and Nutrition Symposium in 2006. The webcast of his lecture and other lectures by experts on diet and cancer can be viewed at <www.CancerProject.org/webcasts>. |
Prostate Cancer May Cause Neglect of Other Illnesses The majority of men with early-stage, low- or moderate-grade prostate cancer die from causes other than prostate cancer, researchers report in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. Therefore, prevention and management of other health conditions is important in these patients. "Once a diagnosis of cancer has been made, it can become the sole focus of medical care, "Dr. James S. Goodwin and colleagues write. "This is understandable, because cancer is typically life threatening and often requires dramatic therapy. But earlier cancer diagnoses, due to screening, and improvements in treatment have been associated with lower cancer mortality," they note, "Thus, patients are living longer after a diagnosis of cancer," where other illness may have a substantial effect on their survival, they point out. Goodwin, of the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, and colleagues used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Medicare database to assess the outcome of 208,601 men between the ages of 65 and 84. Research on genetics and prostate cancer will be of great benefit, but scientific evidence already suggests that a low-fat, vegan diet may help men prevent prostate cancer or cancer recurrence. By consuming more vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains, and avoiding dairy products, meats, and other animal products, men can take an important step forward in safeguarding their own health. Making the switch to a plant-based diet is easy. Many of the foods already on the dinner table can help prevent cancer. Beans, for example, are high in fiber, which helps the body rid itself of excess testosterone, and are rich in inositol pentakisphosphate, a known cancer-fighter. Tomatoes and other lycopene-rich foods, such as watermelon and pink grapefruit, are associated with a reduced risk of prostate and other cancers. Studies from the Harvard School of Public Health have shown that men who frequently consume lycopene-rich foods cut their prostate cancer risk by one-third. Sweet potatoes, carrots, and cantaloupe are rich in beta-carotene, which helps the immune system keep cancer at bay. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, including kale and cauliflower, are rich in sulphoraphane, a cancer-fighting phytochemical that helps rid the body of excess testosterone and reduces the risk of prostate and other cancers. Soy, nut, and rice milks make an excellent and healthy alternative to cow's milk. The Cancer Project offers a variety of resources to help men and their families make positive changes to their diets. Visit <www.CancerProject.org> and sign up for a weekly recipe or download a free copy of The Cancer Survivor's Guide: Foods that Help You Fight Back! at <www.CancerProject.org/Guide>. The Cancer Project also offers nutrition and cooking classes throughout the country. Jennifer Reilly, RD, is a dietitian with The Cancer Project, coauthor of The Cancer Survivor's Guide, and developer of The Cancer Project's Food for Life Nutrition and Cooking Classes for Cancer Prevention and Survival, held in 80 cities across the country. The Cancer Project is a collaborative effort of physicians, researchers, and nutritionists who have joined together to educate the public about the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival. Based in Washington, D.C., The Cancer Project is an affiliate of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. |
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