Prostate Cancer and Prevention Diet

The prostate is one of the organs of the body which is most susceptible to cancer. Every year, approximately 200,000 American men are diagnosed with the disease, making it the most prevalent form of cancer in the United States beside skin cancer. Although lung cancer claims more than twice as many men’s lives each year, prostate cancer is the second deadliest male cancer, killing 30,000 men each year. The disease is so widespread that by age 65, nearly two out of three males may develop tumors in their prostate glands. The walnut-size gland is between the rectum and the bladder, and wraps around the urethra, the tube that drains urine from the bladder. There are some doctors who believe that if men lived long enough, every man would develop prostate cancer.

Most men who have prostate cancer may never even know they have it, may live long healthy lives, and may die of totally unrelated causes. This is because prostate cancer is normally so slow growing that it can take 20 to 30 years to become large enough to be detected by any currently available tests. Often, the cancer does not even cause any serious health problems.

According to some prostate cancer experts, many more men die with prostate cancer than from it. They believe that if the growth of the tumor were slowed so that it took 40 to 60 years to progress instead of 20 to 30, the cancer would not cause any deaths.

Physicians and medical experts believe that a good diet and nutrition may help men halt the progress of disease and prevent it from becoming life threatening. There have been reputable studies which link diet and prostate cancer. There are some foods which should be avoided like fatty red meat and fatty dairy products. Lowering the consumption of these types of fat can help lower the risk of developing prostate cancer. One study of American men showed that those who ate the most red meat were 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with complex prostate cancer than men who avoided fatty meat consumption.

Nutrition experts suggest that instead of meat, men can substitute tofu and other soy foods. Genistein and genistin are two substances found in soy that may help prevent prostate cancer. Japanese men, who have one of the world’s lowest rates of prostate cancer enjoy diets rich in soy. Benefits can be obtained by eating about 2-3 ounces of soy, three or four days a week. Soy has been found to lower the amount of prostate-specific antigens produced by the prostate and may eliminate the need for some forms of cancer treatment. Soy grits are recommended along with fermented products like soy milk, because they are better absorbed in the gut.

Prostate cancer is quite rare in China and one reason for this may be their diet. The Chinese have a very large amount of fish in their diet. One study compared the rate of cancer between American men and men living in Shanghai. The study found that in Shanghai, the Chinese consume almost three times more than men in America and the American’s rate of cancer was twenty-five times higher than the rate of cancer in Chinese men. Fish have a large amount of alpha omega-3 fatty acids and other vitamins and minerals that are believed to help in the prevention of cancer.

Green tea has also been shown to be effective in laboratory tests. Green tea has special antioxidants which are known to prevent damage to healthy cells.

There is no full-proof way of preventing cancer, but medical experts believe that paying careful attention to diet can help lower a man’s risk of getting the disease.

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