ballard technology: 4 Things Men Should Know about Prostate Cancer

Live Better

Pete Williams September 29, 2011

Though prostate cancer is one of the more treatable forms of the disease, it?s also one of the scariest. A prostate cancer diagnosis can lead to removal of the prostate, which can have dramatic effects on a man?s sexual function. Aaron Katz, a New York urologist and director of the Center for Holistic Urology at Columbia University, examines the often befuddling issues surrounding prostate cancer in his new book The Definitive Guide to Prostate Cancer: Everything You Need to Know about Conventional and Integrative Therapies.

September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. One in every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, but Katz suggests it need not be a death sentence or a lifestyle-altering condition. Here are four things Katz says men should know about prostate cancer and health:

1. Many Men Can Live With It?

Prostate cancer is one of the slowest-growing forms of cancer. ?Not all men need to be treated,? Katz says. ?It?s not like pancreatic cancer or leukemia where you need urgent treatment. Because of PSA screening, many of these prostate cancers are caught early and many patients go their entire lives without needing radiation or surgery, which has side effects such as impotence and incontinence. There are some patients that do need to go those routes for treatment, but for others a change in diet, combined with herbal compounds and monitoring the cancer for years?even a lifetime?is a better course of action.?

2. Don't Panic Over a High PSA Test

Katz suggests that the PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test should also be referred to as the ?Patient Stimulated Anxiety? test since the results often cause a patient to unnecessarily panic. Annual PSA tests are recommended for men over 50. Men over 40 should consider them, especially if they?re African-American (a higher-risk group) or have a family history of prostate cancer. Men should refrain from sexual activity for at least 24 hours prior to a test. A high PSA could reflect not abstaining from sex, prostate inflammation, or other relatively minor issues. ?We do more than million prostate biopsies a year in this country and many are just a knee-jerk response to a high PSA,? Katz says. ?There are other things we should do first. Take a re-test, especially if you?ve had recent sexual activity. We can do a urine test to make sure bacteria isn?t at work. We can do a free-and-total PSA test and even a prostate ultrasound to calculate its size and density. Some men have a bigger prostate from genetics or a fatty diet. All of which will bump up the PSA and not necessarily be a sign of cancer.?

3. Fill Your Plate with Colorful Veggies

If you want to prevent prostate cancer, Katz suggests a plant-based diet with little red meat. ?Cram as many vegetables as possible into every meal. Go for broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kale, all of which belong to the family of cruciferous vegetables. Also emphasize deeply colored leafy greens like spinach and salad greens. Tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant believed to help reduce prostate cancer risk.? (Related: 7 Fruits and Vegetables You Should be Eating Right Now.)

4. Exercise?? In and Out of Bed

Studies have shown that men who exercise regularly have lower rates of prostate cancer. ?It may not be the exercise itself but the overall lifestyles those men are leading,? Katz says. ?It?s hard to extrapolate the impact of exercise, but there?s no doubt it benefits the prostate and has other health benefits.? Katz says he often has men ask him to prescribe a program of sex three to four times a week to present to their wives. ?I see a lot of men at a time in their lives where they don?t ejaculate. The fluid can build up into the prostate, causing calcium deposits that can cause inflammation that can lead to rising PSA or pain in the prostate. There have been studies suggesting a role in the chronic link in inflammation of the prostate and prostate cancer. So in that regard, sexual activity has great benefits, ranging from reducing stress to perhaps reducing your rate of prostate cancer.? (Related: Do You Sexercise?)