Our Greatest Wealth Is Health

Andrew Siegel MD  5/13/17

Prostate cancer is incredibly common– one man in seven will be diagnosed with it in his lifetime–with average age at diagnosis mid 60s. In 2015, an estimated 221,000 American men were diagnosed and 28,000 men died of the disease.  Although many with low-risk prostate cancer can be managed with careful observation and monitoring, those with moderate-risk and high-risk disease need to be managed more aggressively. With proper evaluation and treatment, only 3% of men will die of the disease. There are over 2.5 million prostate cancer survivors who are alive today.

Factoid: The #1 cause of death in men with prostate cancer is heart disease, as it is in the rest of the population. 

This is the index finger of yours truly; observe the narrow digit, a most desirable feature for a urologist who examines many prostates in any given day.  The digital rectal exam of the prostate is a 15-second exam that is at most a bit uncomfortable, but vital in the screening process and certainly nothing to fear.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if prostate cancer could be prevented? Unfortunately, we are not there yet—but we do have an understanding of measures that can be pursued to help minimize your chances of developing prostate cancer.

Factoid: When Asian men–who have one of the lowest rates of prostate cancer– migrate to western countries, their risk of prostate cancer increases over time. Clearly, a coronary-clogging western diet high in animal fat and highly processed foods and low in fruits and vegetables is associated with a higher incidence of many preventable problems, including prostate cancer.

The presence of prostate cancer pre-cancerous lesions commonly seen on prostate biopsy—including high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP)—many years before the onset of prostate cancer, coupled with the fact the prostate cancer increases in prevalence with aging, suggest that the process of developing prostate cancer takes place over a protracted period of time. It is estimated that it takes many years—often more than a decade—from the initial prostate cell mutation to the time when prostate cancer manifests with either a PSA elevation, an acceleration in PSA, or an abnormal digital rectal examination. In theory, this provides the opportunity for intervention before the establishment of a cancer.

Measures to Reduce Your Risk of Prostate Cancer

1. Maintain a healthy weight since obesity has been correlated with an increased prostate cancer incidence.
2. Consume a healthy diet with abundant fruits and vegetables (full of anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber) and real food, as opposed to processed and refined foods. Eat plenty of red vegetables and fruits including tomato products (rich in lycopene). Consume isoflavones (chickpeas, tofu, lentils, alfalfa sprouts, peanuts). Eat animal fats and dairy in moderation. Consume fatty fish containing omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, sardines, trout and mackerel.  Follow the advice of Michael Pollan: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
3. Avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol intake.
4. Stay active and exercise on a regular basis. If you do develop prostate cancer, you will be in tip-top physical shape and will heal that much better from any intervention necessary to treat the prostate cancer.
5. Get checked out! Be proactive by seeing your doctor annually for a digital rectal exam of the prostate and a PSA blood test. Abnormal findings on these screening tests are what prompt prostate biopsies, the definitive means of diagnosing prostate cancer. The most common scenario that ultimately leads to a diagnosis of prostate cancer is a PSA acceleration, an elevation above the expected incremental annual PSA rise based upon the aging process.

Important Factoid: An isolated PSA (out of context) is not particularly helpful. What is meaningful is comparing PSA on a year-to-year basis and observing for any acceleration above and beyond the expected annual incremental change associated with aging and benign prostate growth. Many labs use a PSA of 4.0 as a cutoff for abnormal, so it is possible that you can be falsely lulled into the impression that your PSA is normal.  For example, if your PSA is 1.0 and a year later it is 3.0, it is still considered a “normal” PSA even though it has tripled (highly suspicious for a problem) and mandates further investigation. 

6. Certain medications reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 25% or so and may be used for those at high risk, including men with a strong family history of prostate cancer or those with pre-cancerous biopsies. These medications include Finasteride and Dutasteride, which are commonly used to treat benign prostate enlargement as well as male pattern hair loss. These medications lower the PSA by 50%, so any man taking this class of medication will need to double their PSA in order to approximate the actual PSA. If the PSA does not drop, or if it goes up while on this class of medication, it is suspicious for undiagnosed prostate cancer. By shrinking benign prostate growth, these medications also increase the ability of the digital rectal exam to detect an abnormality.

Bottom Line: A healthy lifestyle, including a wholesome and nutritious diet, maintaining proper weight, participating in an exercise program and avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol can lessen one’s risk of all chronic diseases, including prostate cancer.  Be proactive by getting a 15-second digital exam of the prostate and PSA blood test annually.  Prevention and early detection are the key elements to maintaining both quantity and quality of life. 

Wishing you the best of health,

http://www.AndrewSiegelMD.com

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Dr. Andrew Siegel is a practicing physician and urological surgeon board-certified in urology as well as in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.  Dr. Siegel serves as Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School and is a Castle Connolly Top Doctor New York Metro Area, Inside Jersey Top Doctor and Inside Jersey Top Doctor for Women’s Health. His mission is to “bridge the gap” between the public and the medical community that is in such dire need of bridging.

Author of MALE PELVIC FITNESS: Optimizing Sexual & Urinary Health http://www.MalePelvicFitness.com

Author of THE KEGEL FIX: Recharging Female Pelvic, Sexual and Urinary Health  http://www.TheKegelFix.com

Tags: Andrew Siegel MD, digital rectal exam, healthy lifestyle, preventing prostate cancer, prostate, prostate cancer, PSA

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