Green Tea May Prevent Prostate Cancer

ANAHEIM, Calif.--After one year taking green tea catechins (GTCs), only one in a group of 32 men at high risk of developing prostate cancer were diagnosed with the disease, compared to nine out of 30 in a control group. Italian researchers found epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in GTCs targeted prostate cancer cells for death, without damaging benign controls. The results were reported at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, Calif.


Italian researchers from the University of Parma, University of Modena, Reggio Emilia and Saverio
Bettuzzi found Clusterin, a gene involved in prostate apoptosis, a possible mediator of catechins' action. "EGCG induced death in cancer cells, not normal cells, inducing Clusterin expression," said Bettuzzi. The research subjects were aged 45 to 75 with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia--malignant lesions that are prostate cancer precursors--for which no treatment had been given, and who were not consuming green tea, tea-derived products or antioxidants, or following anti-androgenic therapy. Intervention subjects received 200 mg of GTCs (50 percent EGCG). The 30 percent incidence rate of prostate cancer in the control group was consistent with previous findings, as was the absence of significant side effects or adverse reactions among the treated group.

Antioxidant levels key to prostate cancer risk in some men

Greater levels of selenium, vitamin E and the tomato carotenoid lycopene have been shown to reduce prostate cancer in one out of every four Caucasian males, or those who inherit a specific genetic variation that is particularly sensitive to oxidative stress, say US researchers.


Conversely, if carriers of this genetic variant have low levels of these vitamins and minerals, their risk of aggressive prostate increases substantially, as great as 10-fold, over those who maintain higher levels of these nutrients, they write in today’s issue of Cancer Research.


"This large prospective study provides further evidence that oxidative stress may be one of the important mechanisms for prostate cancer development and progression, and adequate intake of antioxidants, such as selenium, lycopene and vitamin E, may help prevent prostate cancer," said Dr Haojie Li, a researcher at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.


The new findings are based on an analysis of 567 men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1982 and 1995, and 764 cancer-free men from the Physicians Health Study.


The initial goal of this study was to assess the effect of aspirin and beta-carotene on men's health. Li’s team decided to check for variants of the gene that codes for manganese superoxide dismutatase (MnSOD), an important enzyme that works as an antioxidant in human cells to defend against disease.


The MnSOD gene is passed from parents to offspring in one of three forms: VV, VA or AA.


"Compared with men with the MnSOD VV or VA genotype, people with the AA genotype seem to be more sensitive to the antioxidant status," said Li. "Men with the AA genotype are more susceptible to prostate cancer if their antioxidant levels are low."


The study's results found that a quarter of the men in the study carried the MnSOD AA genotype, half carried the VA genotype, and the remaining quarter carried the VV genotype.


The results indicated that the VA and VV men were at equivalent risk for developing prostate cancer across all levels of antioxidants in their blood.


But compared to MnSOD VV or VA carriers in the lowest quartile of selenium levels, MnSOD AA males had an 89 per cent greater risk for developing aggressive prostate cancer if they had low blood levels of the mineral.


On the other hand, MnSOD AA carriers with high selenium – those men in the highest quartile – had a 65 per cent lower risk than the MnSOD VV or VA males who maintained low levels of selenium.


"The levels of selenium in the highest quartile of these men are not abnormally high," Li said. "Our range is neither extremely high nor extremely low."


While similar trends were observed for lycopene and vitamin E when tested independently, the contrast in relative risk was most pronounced for the men who had high blood levels for all three antioxidants combined, said the researchers.


"Among men with the MnSOD AA genotype, we observed a 10-fold difference in risk for aggressive prostate cancer, when comparing men with high versus low levels of antioxidants combined,"said Li. "In contrast, among men with the VV or VA genotype, the prostate cancer risk was only weakly altered by these antioxidant levels."


"Our study, as well as many other epidemiological studies, encourages dietary intake of nutrients such as lycopene from tomato products, or supplements for vitamin E and selenium to reduce risk of prostate cancer," said Li.


Prostate cancer is one of the biggest cancer killers in industrial countries and affects more than 500,000 men worldwide every year. This number is expected to increase with the ageing population.


Similar interactions between dietary antioxidants and the variations in the MnSOD gene have previously been linked to risk for breast cancer.

What Is A Prostate?

The prostate is a round cluster of glands located at the bottom of the  bladder, about midway between the rectum and the base of the penis. The prostate  encircles the urethra, the tube that expels urine from the bladder by way of the  penis. The ping pong ball sized gland produces most of the fluid in semen.  Contraction of the muscles in the prostate squirt fluid from into the urethra  tract during ejaculation. This fluid makes up the majority of the ejaculate and  transports and nourishes the sperm. 


Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death for American men  who don’t smoke. It is primarily a disease of aging. Men in their thirties and  forties rarely develop prostate cancer, but the incidence grow steadily after  the age of fifty-five. About 80 percent of all prostate cancer cases occur in  men over the age of sixty-five. By the age of eighty, 4 out of 5 men have some  degree of prostate cancer. Many experts feel that all men will eventually  develop prostate cancer if they live long enough. The three most common prostate  problems are prostatitis or inflection, prostate enlargement, and prostate  cancer. 


Medical professionals recommend that men have annual rectal exams as part of  a health checkup from ages 40 to 70, and those with high risk and all men 50 and  over should add a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test every year as well.  When prostate cancer is detected early and treated it has a high cure rate. Men  are encouraged to discuss the options with their doctor. Based on past  screenings doctors have observed that in men ages 50 to 59, the prostate cancer  detection rate was basically the same whether men were screened every year or  every two years. Therefore normal-risk men in their 50s can to be safely  screened every other year. Since there is no cure for advanced prostate cancer,  early diagnosis and treatment are essential. Since early prostate cancer  normally doesn’t have any symptoms, it is extremely difficult to detect without  testing. Screenings using both PSA and DRE tests have proven to be the best and  only reliable method of identifying the disease when it can be still be cured  easily. Almost fifty-eight percent of all cases are discovered while the cancer  is still isolated and at its most treatable stage. A doctor can detect prostate  cancer by digital rectal examination and by a PSA (prostate-specific antigen)  blood test.

Prostate Cancer Prevention

Prostate cancer prevention holds exciting possibilities for the future and  suggests some prostate cancer prevention strategies for men to use now. When  deciding on what prevention strategies to adopt, keep in mind that several of  the strongest known risk factors for prostate cancer are wildcards. They are  simply beyond your control. These include: Genetics. The risk of prostate cancer  is higher if other men (father or brothers) in your family have had the disease.  Age. Prostate cancer is unusual in men before age 50, but incidence of the  disease grows dramatically after that age. Race. African-American men are at  much higher risk of developing prostate cancer. 


The full range of things that cause prostate cancer is still largely unknown.  Even individuals with none of the three uncontrollable risk factors for prostate  cancer may choose to follow a lifestyle linked to a lower risk of the disease.  The good habits that protect against prostate cancer might well help avoid other  diseases as well, such as heart disease, colorectal cancer, and others. Much of  the study on prostate cancer prevention focuses on good nutrition. Important  factors include: Fat. Prostate cancer rates vary greatly from one country to  another, with the highest rates appearing in countries where people tend to eat  a lot of fat Vegetables. Some studies link a diet high in vegetables to a lower  risk of prostate cancer. Fish. Prostate cancer can be two to three times more  common in men who eat no fish as in men who eat moderate to large amounts of  fish. 


Research does not yet support any definite nutritional guidelines for  preventing prostate cancer. Reasonable suggestions are to eat more fruits,  vegetables and whole grains, reduce intake of saturated fat and cholesterol,  limit sugars and salt. Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation, or cut them out  completely. Watch your weight and control calories. 


Obesity and prostate cancer: Studies have not established a direct connection  between obesity and incidence of prostate cancer. However obesity may affect  levels of hormones related to prostrate cancer risk. Strategies for preventing  obesity include: following guidelines for a healthy diet, meeting with your  doctor to develop a plan for physical activity, and doing some form of aerobic  exercise for 30 minutes or more daily. Weight management control will have  health benefits for the whole body and the mind. Take care of your body and your  prostate will prosper. 

Protecting the Male Prostate

Protecting the Male Prostate

The prostate gland is an important part of the male reproductive system. The  prostate creates a fluid that mixes with sperm and other fluids during  ejaculation. These fluids nourish and transport sperm during the process of  semen ejaculation during sexual excitement. A normal prostate gland is around  the size of a walnut. 


Prostate Enlargement is common as a man ages and matures. Medical doctors  call this condition of enlarged prostate BPH or "benign prostatic hyperplasia".  As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from  expanding, causing the prostate gland to press inward against the urethra and  restricting the flow, narrowing the space for urine to pass. The bladder wall  also becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder starts to contract even when it  contains even small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination by the  male. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to completely empty  itself and urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and  partial emptying of the bladder cause a large number of the problems associated  with an enlarged prostate. A doctor can determine an enlarged prostate during  the dreaded finger prostate exam.


The symptoms of an enlarged prostate can vary, but the most common ones  involve changes or problems with urination, such as a hesitant, interrupted,  weak stream, urgency and leaking or dribbling, more frequent urination,  especially at night. This is often called nocturia. Men who have symptoms of  prostate obstruction are much more likely to develop chronic kidney disease.  These are troubling and dangerous problems if not found and corrected in time. 


Enlarged prostate treatments vary. Numerous effective pharmaceutical drugs  are available to improve symptoms of prostate enlargement. There are also  effective natural therapies including the use of time-tested herbal products.  Some commonly used herbs for enlarged prostate gland include rye pollen,  stinging nettle, saw palmetto, and pygeum, Plant extracts that have also been  investigated include beta sitosterol, quercetin, rosaminic acid, genistein,  daidzein and lycopene. In addition to herbs and mainstream medications, there is  also some basic, common sense, behavioral changes that can help combat prostate  symptoms. Among these changes are reducing fluid intake, limiting or ending  alcohol and caffeine consumption, especially in the evening, and not passing up  a chance to use the bathroom, even when your bladder doesn't feel full. These  simple steps can help reduce the impact of an enlarged prostate on a man’s  life.

The Prostate Basics

Basic Facts about the Prostate Gland: The prostate is a sex gland in males.  It is around the size of a walnut, and encircles the neck of the bladder and  urethra, the tube that expels urine from the bladder. It is partly glandular and  partly muscular, with ducts opening into the prostatic portion of the urethra.  The prostate is made up of three lobes: a centrally located lobe with one lobe  on each side. The prostate gland secretes a slightly alkaline fluid that forms  part of the seminal fluid, a fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation.

There are several benign prostate problems that develop in men. Types of  non-cancerous prostate problems, or clinical conditions of the prostate gland  that are not cancer, including infections, inflammations, benign prostatic  hyperplasia (BPH) - an enlarged prostate These problems are quite common and may  happen to men of all ages. Specific Non-Cancerous Prostate Problems include  prostatism – this term describes any condition of the prostate that causes  interference with the flow of urine from the bladder. Prostatitis - an inflamed  condition of the prostate gland. It can be accompanied by pain, discomfort,  frequent or infrequent urination, and sometimes a low-grade fever. Prostatalgia  - a term that indicates pain in the prostate gland. Benign prostatic hyperplasia  (BPH)- the condition of an enlarged prostate. BPH is the main non-cancerous  prostate problem. It can cause discomfort and create problems urinating.  Although it is not cancer, BPH symptoms are very similar to those of prostate  cancer. These include impotence, or the inability to have or keep an erection,  and urinary incontinence, or the loss of bladder control. 

The fear of having prostate cancer can be devastating to most men. Prostate  cancer is most successfully treated when discovered early. Consider these  statistics supplied from the American Cancer Society: Nearly 80 percent of all  prostate cancers is discovered while they are still localized, or confined to  the prostate. The five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with prostate tumors  that are discovered at this early stage is a whopping 100 percent. Testing  works! 

In the past 20 years, the survival rate for all stages of prostate cancer has  risen due to early detection and treatment. Early prostate cancer often doesn’t  present any symptoms and can only be found with regular prostate examinations by  your doctor. These tests can help detect, or rule out, prostate cancer. Check  back with your physician if you have had an unusual DRE (digital rectal exam),  or if your PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level is high. Your physician may  order additional tests or suggest repeating the PSA tests if warranted.