Reducing The Risk of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men in developed countries, particularly among the over-50s. However, the good news is that adopting the right lifestyle, paying attention to any possible symptoms, and (for the over-50s) having regular prostate checks can reduce the chance of developing prostate cancer – and improve the chances of successful treatment if it is diagnosed.
First of all, adopting a healthier lifestyle can greatly reduce the risk of being diagnosed with cancer. That starts with a healthy diet.
Eating more fruit and vegetables has been shown to be connected with a lower risk of cancer. That’s one reason many people advocate the ‘five a day’ regime – five portions of different fruit and vegetables every day. Replacing snacks such as chocolate or cookies by a fresh apple or orange can be one easy way to start making this change.
Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to be associated with lower cancer risk. These are found, for instance, in oily fish such as salmon or mackerel. (It’s fair to say though that the scientific evidence is inconclusive. However, since other health benefits have been demonstrated, including benefits to the cardio-vascular system, it’s still sensible to make omega-3 a part of a healthy diet.)
It’s also been shown that a high fat diet is connected to a higher cancer risk. That includes dairy fats and such fats as those found in vegetable oils, but it also includes the kinds of fats found in red meat. Reducing intake of fatty foods, and consuming more relatively low-fat foods, should therefore decrease the risk of cancer. That might involve, for instance, eating more chicken, turkey and fish, and less beef – replacing that steak by a chicken breast.
Catching some rays could be good news. Research has showed that men living in the sunnier states of the US had a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer; this is probably explained by higher levels of Vitamin D, which is acquired through exposure to the sun. In a clinical trial, higher Vitamin D levels were shown to give a 60 percent reduction in breast cancer risk in women who were taking Vitamin D tablets, compared to the control group who were not.
(However, sunscreen and sensible clothing should be used to avoid the risks of skin cancer. Only 15 minutes exposure to bright sunlight every day is needed to boost Vitamin D levels – so sunbathing marathons are out.)
More generally, obesity has been found to increase the risk of many cancers. Trimming the excess fat – both by diet and by exercise – can help lower cancer risk, as well as delivering other health benefits.
Besides a healthier lifestyle, possibly the most important thing a man can do to lower his prostate cancer risk is to have regular health checks which include a prostate cancer test. A digital rectal examination can find whether there are any hardened lumps in the prostate gland which might potentially be cancerous. The PSA blood test can also detect higher levels of the Prostate-Specific Antigen which might indicate the presence of cancer. Early diagnosis of cancer vastly increases the chances of survival – if it is caught before it has spread outside the prostate, surgical removal followed by chemo- and/or radiotherapy can lead to a successful eradication of the cancer.
Because of the age distribution of prostate cancer diagnoses, regular check-ups are particularly important for the over 50s.
Many men don’t see their doctor when they have urinary or ejaculation difficulties because they are embarrassed. Such difficulties may indicate a number of conditions, including venereal diseases, bacterial infection, or prostate cancer – so it is important to get them checked out. Equally, while it’s obvious that having a doctor investigating one’s rectum is not the easiest social situation to navigate with aplomb, swallowing the embarrassment and getting that check done can just save a life.
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