lifestyle.steve@thesundaily.com
THE PROSTATE is a walnut-sized gland located beneath the bladder of males and it surrounds the upper part of the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder.
Prostate function is regulated essentially by hormones.
Adenocarcinoma is the primary type of prostate cancer, which can develop with little or no symptoms especially during its early stages.
Conditions involving the prostate such as enlargement (benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH), infections and stones can mimic the symptoms of cancer.
Besides a digital rectal examination, radio-immunoassay analysis of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the standard test for diagnosing both localised as well as metastasised stages of the prostate cancer.
Though still controversial, PSA is the most sensitive marker for monitoring the disease and is elevated in 25% to 92% of patients with prostate cancer.
However, the level is also high in 30% to 50% of those with BPH (benign growth).
► Ageing and genetics
The incidence of prostate cancer increases with age, with some 60% of all cases being diagnosed in men aged 65 years and older (ACS, 2010).
A man whose father has prostate cancer is also 230% more likely to develop the disease than another person whose father does not have the disease.
Surprisingly, a man is also more likely to develop prostate cancer if his sister or mother develops breast or ovarian cancer.
However, levels of sexual activity do not appear to have a significant effect.
► Dietary habits
Prostate cancer is more common in countries where meat and dairy products are consumed in large quantities than in regions where the diet contains large quantities of vegetables, rice, and soybean products.
Men who consume high levels of long-chain saturated fats or polyunsaturated fats are also more at risk. These fats include those from animal, livestock and margarine.
Fat has been found to stimulate increased testosterone with its subsequent conversion to dehydrotestosteone (DHT) and estrogen hormones being implicated in promoting growth of prostate tumour.
Current research suggests estrogen (not testosterone) stimulates dormant prostate cancer cells into action.
Eating meat cooked at high temperatures can produce carcinogens that adversely affect the prostate.
Smokers who develop prostate cancer tend to have poorer outcomes than those who do not smoke (Chyou et al, 1993).
It surprises many that even calcium supplementation in men can increase his risk of this cancer (Giovannucci et al, 1998).
Consequently, complementary medicine recommends the consumption of calcium-rich vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans for bone building.
Incidentally, bones are made from 17 nutrients of which calcium is just one. An imbalance in mineral intake can lead to osteoporosis (bone thinning).
► Lifestyles
Alcohol intake of just 25 ounces per month is directly correlated with the development of BPH (Chyou et al, 1993).
This drink is known to aromatise (converts) male hormone to female (estradiol).
► Pesticides and chemicals
A variety of pesticides and chemicals are known to produce metabolic changes that increase the activity of enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which converts testosterone to DHT. Chemicals implicated include dioxin (Kappas et al, 1983).
There is some evidence that a working environment that contains metals and chemicals, such as acrylonitrite, cadmium, and dimethylformamide, may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.
Obesity has also been associated with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
Comparing men who died from prostate cancer and those who did not develop the disease, obesity (body mass index greater than 30) were 127% more likely to develop and die from the disease than non-obese men (Rodriguex et al, 2001).
Men with the highest waist-to-hip ratios are nearly 300% more likely to develop the cancer than those with the smallest waist-to-hip ratios (Hsing et al, 2000).
This may be due to the fact that greater fat deposits in the abdomen raises his hormonal activity.
There seems to be a link between childhood obesity and an increased risk of prostate cancer late in life (Giovannucci et al, 1997).
Sunlight exposure seems to lower risk of prostate cancer. Sunlight converts cholesterol in our skin to vitamin D. This vitamin is measured by our blood levels of 25(OH)D levels.
Men whose levels are below 16ng/mL might suffer 70% higher incidence rate of prostate cancer.
For younger men with 25(OH)D levels below 16ng/mL, incidence of prostate cancer could be 350% higher than those with levels of 16ng/mL or above, while incidence of invasive cancer could be 660% higher (Ahonen et al, 2000).
Only morning or late morning sunshine in this country is recommended. Darker skin individuals produce less vitamin D with same sunlight exposure.
Meanwhile, radiation exposure causes approximately 3% of all cancers. When you are exposed to radiation, a very reactive type of hydroxy free radical is formed which is known to mutate DNAs in our cells.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/371420
