Prostate Gland Cancer: Important Health Advice Every Man Should Know

Up to 75 per cent of all men suffer from prostate problems, including prostate gland cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) - an enlarged prostate. Prostate gland cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting men in the western world, and the condition kills over 10,000 British men each year - a statistic that makes worrying reading.

Fortunately, for many men, there are a number of immediate steps that can be taken to successfully fight this disease, as demonstrated in a new study from a major cancer research centre that reveals important dietary information that every man with prostate cancer needs to know.

Cutting the calcium
According to a recent study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre (FHCRC) in Seattle, Washington in the US, men in the early stages of prostate gland cancer who reduce their calcium intake may significantly lower the chances of the cancer progressing to an advanced stage.

Previous research has shown an association between high dietary fat and calcium intake and the risk of prostate gland cancer. This new research, however, suggests that fats and calcium in the diet are not the cause of prostate gland cancer (as some earlier research has indicated), but may play a significant role in advancing the disease.

The Hutchinson study examined two groups of men (1,197 total subjects) aged 40-64. Approximately half of the subjects were selected from a group of men who had been recently diagnosed with prostate gland cancer and who had also participated in 3-5 years of interviews as part of a local registry designed to understand the relationship of diseases and their probable causes. The other subjects were healthy, cancer-free men, randomly chosen from the same population base.

All the subjects completed a questionnaire to gather a wide range of details about their intake of specific foods and dietary supplements. When the two groups were compared, a number of striking differences were observed. As I mentioned above, men whose diets had a lower calcium intake were found to have a lower chance of early stage prostate gland cancer progressing into a more advanced stage.

This is significant because a man who takes a vitamin supplement that contains calcium may also be getting plenty of calcium from dietary sources such as dairy products, dark leafy green vegetables, and fortified cereal and bread products. Unfortunately the study was not able to recommend a minimum calcium intake level, but strongly encouraged a moderation of calcium intake for those with prostate gland cancer.

The growing benefits of moderation
In addition to the calcium question, the Hutchinson team concluded that men with diets in which fat totalled no more than 30 per cent of their total daily intake of calories were almost one half as likely to develop advanced prostate gland cancer as those who consumed higher levels of fat.

Before I go any further I want to make one point absolutely clear: this information should not be taken as a blanket recommendation to pursue a low-fat diet. The discussion of the merits of low-fat compared to high-fat diets has been (and will be) the subject of other e-alerts.

That said, it's important to note that the Hutchinson study found a specific association between the intake of saturated and monounsaturated fats with an increased risk of advanced prostate gland cancer. Meanwhile, polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids were not found to have an effect on the cancer.

The study revealed one other noteworthy risk factor. Researchers concluded that a diet with a high total calorie intake (regardless of the fat content) may significantly increase the risk of developing advanced prostate gland cancer, and may also increase the risk of developing prostate gland cancer in the first place. Again, the Hutchinson team did not attempt to recommend specific levels of calorie intake beyond the suggestion that men would reduce their risk of prostate gland cancer by lowering their intake of total calories.

We'll continue to watch for any further specific recommendations we can share with you.

Essential minerals more essential than ever
Selenium is an antioxidant trace mineral that has been shown to fight cancer. Last year Stanford University released study findings showing that men with low blood levels of selenium are four to five times more likely to develop prostate gland cancer than men with normal levels of the mineral.

The study suggested that a safe plasma selenium level should fall between 10.8 and 18.2 mcg/dl. If a man's blood test reveals a level below 10.7, it would be wise for him to incorporate more selenium-rich foods into his diet. Brazil nuts have a very high selenium level, with tuna, flounder, sole, oysters and turkey providing good levels as well. Selenium supplements are also available in health food stores.

Are there men in your life who could use a little nudge toward greater prostate awareness? If so, please forward this e-alert and urge them to talk to their doctors about prostate gland cancer screening, because if they catch this cancer early, they'll have a much better chance of beating this disease.