Posts Tagged ‘prostate cancer’
Friday, February 5th, 2010
It has come to my attention that many doctors remain unfamiliar with the clinical value and importance of testing (blood) cytokines. Cytokines are ‘messenger molecules’ of the immune system involved in the regulation of inflammation. Knowledge of their levels helps not just with early diagnosis and prognosis, but can profile immune system imbalance allowing functional treatment to be precisely targeted and bad reactions avoided (even Echinacea can push some people’s immune system in the wrong direction). There are thousands of studies on clinical conditions for which this is important. Here ’s one for rheumatoid arthritis:
Up-regulation of cytokines and chemokines predates the onset of rheumatoid arthritis
This study recently published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism (the journal of the American College of Rheumatology) set out to “identify whether cytokines, cytokine-related factors, and chemokines are up-regulated prior to the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).” Their conclusion was in line with findings of other investigators: “Individuals in whom RA later developed had significantly increased levels of several cytokines, cytokine-related factors, and chemokines representing the adaptive immune system (Th1, Th2, and Treg cell-related factors.”
Tags: arthritis, cytokines, prostate cancer
Posted in Autoimmune, General Science & Health, Oncology | No Comments »
Friday, January 1st, 2010
This interesting paper published recently in the medical journal The Aging Male reports a study in which the investigators evaluated “lipoprotein profile and sex hormones in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and their possible associations with some inflammatory markers linked to PCa.” Not surprisingly, estrogen and androgens were higher and adiponectin (see forthcoming posts) was lower. The authors conclude: “Our most novel findings are that the patients with PCa presented lower total Chol and HDL-chol and higher TG/HDL-chol than BPH and Controls.” Once again, cholesterol was lower and triglycerides higher in the prostate cancer group. What drives up triglycerides more than anything else? Insulin resistance. One more interesting finding: “No differences were found in androgens between BPH and PCa.” This suggests that androgens (including testosterone) add bulk but the other factors are more significant for conversion to malignancy.
Tags: adiponectin, androgens, cholesterol, lipoproteins, prostate cancer, triglycerides
Posted in Men's Health, Oncology | 1 Comment »
Saturday, December 19th, 2009
Regardless of the stage of disease, Gleason grade, previous treatments or PSA level at diagnosis or initiation of vitamin D therapy, this paper recently published in the British Journal of Urology International documents significant improvement with Vitamin D. The authors conclude: “Vitamin D therapy is an effective and well tolerated treatment for patients with asymptomatic progressive prostate cancer, and is a useful addition to the therapeutic options.”
Tags: prostate cancer, Vitamin D
Posted in Men's Health, Oncology | 1 Comment »
Thursday, December 10th, 2009
A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology compared hazard ratios (HRs) for time to metastasis or death “between patients who deferred treatment and those who underwent immediate treatment within 1 year of diagnosis.” This was a large prospective study that included 51,129 men. The authors concluded: “Older men and men with lesser cancer severity at diagnosis were more likely to remain untreated. PCa [prostate cancer] mortality did not differ between DT and active treatment patients.” DT = deferred treatment (watchful waiting).
Tags: prostate cancer
Posted in Men's Health | No Comments »
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
Here we have another study linking insulin resistance and higher serum insulin to prostate cancer. This recently published article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute concludes: “Elevated fasting levels of serum insulin (but not glucose) within the normal range appear to be associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer.” Gentlemen, it is important to know that insulin levels rise in the background while glucose appears normal for years before type 2 diabetes is diagnosed. Make sure you know how to keep insulin receptors healthy.
Tags: insulin, prostate cancer
Posted in Insulin & Diabetes, Men's Health, Oncology | No Comments »
Friday, November 13th, 2009
There’s much more to prostate cancer prevention than finasteride. Here is another recent study published in the journal Prostate that documents the presence of insulin receptors on primary human prostate cancers. “The findings are relevant..to the hypothesis that obesity-associated hyperinsulinemia mediates the adverse effect of obesity on prostate cancer prognosis.” Important: Finasteride works by blocking the enzyme that converts testosterone to the more potent metabolite dihydrotestosterone. It, and natural agents that also inhibit the same enzyme, are helpful if dihydrotestosterone is too high—but this is not always the case. Lowering it too much can result in common adverse reactions that include decreased libido, impotence, and decreased ejaculatory volume. The functional approach to prostate disorders always includes lab assessment of the biologically active free fraction testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, and the pituitary hormones LH and FSH that stimulate their production.
Tags: dihydrotestosterone, finasteride, insulin, prostate cancer
Posted in Men's Health | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
This paper elucidates the mechanism by which gamma tocopherol, a form of Vitamin E, reduces inflammation and arrests the growth of prostate cancer cells. Remember that ordinary Vitamin E which contains only alpha tocopherol suppresses gamma tocopherol levels (see the post Do Not Take Ordinary Vitamin E).
Tags: gamma tocopherol, prostate cancer, Vitamin E
Posted in Men's Health | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
This interesting study from Molecular Cancer Therapeutics documents the inhibition of prostate cancer cell proliferation and the induction of apoptosis (cell death) with pomegranate extract. Of special importance is the described association with chronic inflammation driven by nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity. This is involved in the transition from androgen dependence of prostate cancer cells to ones that no longer depend on male hormone stimulation. Pomegranate extract is shown to help reduce this inflammatory process.
Tags: apoptosis, inflammation, nuclear factor-κB, pomegranate, prostate, prostate cancer
Posted in Men's Health | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
This paper in the journal Clinical Cancer Research reports that pomegranate juice slows rising PSA (prostate-specific antigen) after surgery or radiation for prostate cancer: “The statistically significant prolongation of PSA doubling time, coupled with corresponding laboratory effects on prostate cancer in vitro cell proliferation and apoptosis as well as oxidative stress, warrant further testing in a placebo-controlled study.”
Tags: pomegranate, prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen, PSA
Posted in Men's Health | No Comments »