Prostate cancer is raising on the health toll charts at a very alarming pace. This is sad because very little attention is given to this crisis despite the number of deaths it has caused. Prostate cancer is specially common with busy men. Those who are too occupied to engage in sexual intercourse, or any sexual activities, even self inflicted for that matter. Prostate cancer makes it very difficult to urinate as well as to have an erectile function. Like any other cancer, early detection and treatment is the key to surviving this disease. Prevention should be done in the form of lifestyle moderation in terms of work load. Be sure to reserve some quality time to attend to the most basic needs or the price to pay is not worth the neglect. Remember that we do not work to live, not live to work. Money cannot buy us our life.

MRI’s have long been used as a diagnostic tool for cancer and the many diseases that plague us. Newer generations of MRI scanners are allowing better scans that tracks treatment success of failure and is now also capable of detecting early signs of the deadly disease that more often goes unnoticed before serious symptoms prompts treatment. Cancer as well all know seldom manifests early signs, abnormalities being known only during later stages of the disease when it has already progressed to a non-treatable stage. Effective use of MRI scans to diagnose, detect and monitor the progression of treatment allowing better views of the deadly disease that is prostate cancer.

Men who have high consumption of green tea, long known for its cancer fighting components have shown quite a significant reduction of cancer causing markers according to research. This gives credence to the cancer fighting abilities of Green Tea of which are much hyped phytochemicals. These compounds have long been regarded as cancer fighters and inhibitors reducing their growth and even reversing their adverse effects, a link that has yet to be firmly established by scientists and researchers. Dietary scientists have long known of the link between diet and the many forms of cancer that afflicts many people the world over yet there remains a lot of understanding and study for a better understanding of this very link to llow better cancer cures and preventive measures that can be taken to help aid sufferers the world over.

Scientists from the Wayne State University have identified a form of the gene gaectin-3 to be a good indicator of the progression of prostate cancer in patients. Lack of the specified gene has been found to be a very good way of determining whether the cancer has progressed to advanced stages. All men above 50 are prone to get the said disease of the reproductive organs that if left untreated can cause death. The use of the specified gene can be used as a diagnostic marker which can state the level of progression making diagnosis of advanced cases possible and faster.

[Read more...]

Metastatic Prostate Cancer is known to be the main cause of death due to prostate cancer which is simply the spread of the disease to other parts of the human body. Using molecular technology to determine the mechanisms which are responsible for the spread of such diseases is seen to be one of the most promising approaches to properly determine the diagnosis and treatments for such spreading. Scientists are trying to understand the mechanism to allow proper gene or molecule blocking to make treatment better for those who already have the disease. mRNA’s have been found to synthesize a protein known as KLF6 that in turn signals the cancer cells to spread to other parts of the body, spreading it and increasing the chances of death.

[Read more...]

Studies are under way to use the cancer cell’s own genes to emphasize the ones that tells it to self-destruct known as Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN). The enzyme is a key to understanding the growth cycle of the cancer cell thus making the mechanism that controls it. This is the result of studies on laboratory mouse that have shown the increased levels of the said fatty acid in ones that have late stage cancer and it can also be responsible for certain cases when remission is attained through other mechanisms that have so far eluded cancer researchers.

[Read more...]

A recent study has shown that “male lumpectomy”, a medical procedure used to treat prostate cancer, is as effective as surgery. And because of its minimally invasive nature, this is recommended as a first line treatment before any major surgery should be done.

Here’s an excerpt from the original news report:

The so-called “male lumpectomy” — a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment for prostate cancer — is as effective as surgery in destroying diseased tumors and can be considered a first-line treatment for patients of all risk levels and particularly those who have failed radiation, according to studies released at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 34th Annual Scientific Meeting.

The study is a positive development for the many who suffer from the disease, as they have an alternative treatment to turn to besides major surgery.

This is a controversial statement, but researchers have found that increased intake of vitamins C or E have no beneficial effects for the prevention of prostate and other forms of cancer. It has long been promoted that high levels of vitamins to augment your dily intake requirements have the ability to help reduce cancer. True to this, such advertising on the benefits of vitamins have long been debated and even fought over by people who have claimed to benefit from such high vitamin intake. The study focused on the ability of the compounds in question to prevent the occurrence of the disease which was found to be zero. Take excessive amounts and you still get cancer wasting money thus defying common belief.

[Read more...]

Researchers are focusing on ever so smaller units of cells in hopes of finding a cure to one of the most deadly diseases the world over. Cancer in its many forms and shapes is blamed as the most prevalent human disease that needs attention for proper management. Focusing on stem cells or the human body’s super cells gives them an understanding on how they become cancerous leading to cancer. They are also trying to understand the mechanisms which makes one cell influence another to become cancerous spreading the disease either making it grow or spread to other parts of the human body.
They have succeeded in isolating a specific protein chain called Stat3 which is the signaling protein responsible for healthy cells to become cancerous. They hope that research into Stat3 protein blockers would allow proper management and ultimately lead to a cure for prostate cancer and its many other forms.

image source: www.ibspro.net

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. When detected early, before it has spread to other organs, prostate cancer may be curable. A man’s risk for prostate cancer increases with age, and most cases develop in men over age 65 but many older men with prostate cancer die of another cause like heart disease before the cancer has grown enough to cause problems. There is controversy about the value of using digital rectal exams and prostate-specific antigens (PSA) blood test to screen men for prostate cancer. Detecting early prostate cancer may not improve quality of life or prolong life, especially in men who are older or have other serious problems. Therefore many experts are uncertain whether routine screening is appropriate for all men. Since it’s really that much helpful to men, go and talk to your doctor to learn about your risk in getting prostate cancer and whether if screening test are still appropriate for you.