Prostate Cancer Prevention

Prostate cancer affects millions of men world wide, and for those men who do not have it, there are some ways to minimize the risk of getting it. No one has the knowledge of how to prevent prostate cancer because it is a very complicated disease, but many scientists and doctors have devoted a lot of time to research, and have discovered things that can help prevent it.

Good nutrition has not been directly linked with the prevention of prostate cancer, however, there are some good common sense rules that can be followed. A person should not over-eat, and should choose meals that are balanced in nutrition. The rate of prostate cancer is higher in those people who eat food containing a lot of fat. Good nutrition includes eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, and limiting the intake of high-fat, or highly processed foods. Healthy beverage choices mean drinking low-fat milk and green tea, and restricting or eliminating the consumption of alcohol.

There are certain foods which doctors and nutrition experts believe can help in the prevention of disease. Foods like spinach, asparagus, and certain beans are high in vitamin-B; foods like broccoli, kale and cabbage have diindolylmethane (an anticarcinogen compound) in them; and lycopene (an antioxidant) can be found in tomatoes. Eating whole grain foods such as brown rice, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread, while limiting the intake of sugar and salt, will help lower the risk of sickness and disease. While most fat intake should be limited, there is one type of fat that may reduce the risk of certain cancers: omega-3 fatty acids. This fat can be found in cold-water fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel.

There are two things which researchers believe increase the risk of getting prostate cancer as well as other forms of cancer, and certain disease like hypertension and diabetes; they are smoking and obesity. Smoking contributes to lung cancer which kills more men every year than prostate cancer. The side effects of smoking might increase the chances of a man getting prostate cancer, so it is better to quit. Obesity is when a person’s body fat is much higher than it should be and might affect the levels of hormones in the body which could lead to prostate cancer. Limiting food intake and getting 30 minutes of exercise daily, even if it’s only walking briskly, can help reduce fat and obesity.

There are several drugs and vitamin supplements which show potential benefits in the prevention of prostate cancer; some of these are statins, aspirin, and ibuprofen. Another drug that some research has suggested might help in cancer prevention is selenium which is found in seafood, grains, eggs and garlic. Vitamin E supplements are also being studied in combination with selenium, but as yet, there is no conclusive proof that selenium and vitamin E can prevent prostate cancer, though the research is ongoing.

There is promising research about a new drug called Finasteride, which is prescribed to relieve the symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH, or enlarged prostate gland). Preliminary studies show that clinical trials done with this drug have lowered the risk of getting prostate cancer by twenty-five percent. This drug has been successful in reducing levels of PSA in the blood by fifty percent. However there are some side effects like lowered sex drive and erectile dysfunction. Overall, more study is needed on this new drug by the medical research community.

Nothing has been discovered that can prevent prostate cancer, however, there are easy ways to lower the risk factors by eating right, exercising regularly and living a healthy lifestyle, in addition to regular medical visits.

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