Locally advanced prostate cancer is generally defined as a prostate cancer that has invaded local tissue, but not spread to lymph nodes or to other distant areas. Patients commonly ask questions about locally advanced prostate cancer, how to treat it, and its prognosis. What is the best treatment for locally advanced prostate cancer? Until the past several years,…
A vegetarian diet can help men prevent certain diseases and prolong life, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. A vegetarian diet protected participants from conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and kidney failure. The vegetarians in the study were 19% less likely to die than those who ate meat regularly. For some…
BPH causes are not completely understood, but numerous studies suggest one cause may include metabolic syndrome. Research indicates that metabolic syndrome, which is a major risk factor for diabetes and heart disease, may also increase a man’s chances of developing an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). What causes BPH? Experts have composed a lengthy list…
Sometimes one of the causes of prostatitis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD), such as Herpes chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, or Ureaplasma urealyticum. Sexually active men who have multiple sex partners are at an increased risk of STDs and thus prostatitis, especially if they do not use a condom. Also at high risk are men who…
In the quest for effective natural remedies for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, aka an enlarged prostate, one of the options that has gained some attention is Pycnogenol, a branded extract of French Maritime pine bark. According to the findings of a recent study, use of Pycnogenol for an enlarged prostate resulted in significant…
Pelvic myoneuropathy is a neurogenic inflammation that is triggered by muscle spasm. Wait what? If you are not a doctor, that’s a lot of big words. Shall we break it down? In myoneuropathy, myo means muscles; neuro means nerves; and pathy means disease. Neurogenics studies the role of genetics in the development and function of…
The C word—cancer—frightens many people, more so than heart disease, which is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States and many places around the world. Therefore, identifying ways to effectively treat tumors and cancer is foremost in the minds of patients and doctors when someone is diagnosed with any…
When men with prostate cancer need to choose a treatment option, it’s helpful to have information that compares and contrasts the different therapies. Now a first-of-its-kind study has compared two of those treatment choices and found that prostate surgery (prostatectomy) yields better survival than external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). In particular, the study examined robotic…
One of the most asked questions by men who have BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) is, Does having BPH increase my chances of getting prostate cancer? Given that more than 6 million men in the United States have BPH, this is a question on the minds of a great number of men. But although a new…
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a relatively new radiation-free treatment that uses high-powered sound waves (ultrasound) to deliver heat that kills prostate cancer cells within the gland. Although HIFU for prostate cancer has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of prostate cancer, it has been and continues to…
The use of medical marijuana for prostate cancer is causing more men to look into this controversial treatment. One of the most common medical uses of marijuana is for cancer symptoms and the side effects of treatment such as chemotherapy, but studies on people who have used the drug are proving that marijuana may also…
How to prepare for a prostate biopsy is something you may wonder about if you and your doctor have determined that you will undergo this procedure. First you need to fully understand the benefits and risks associated with the prostate biopsy. After that, there are several steps you need to take to prepare for the biopsy….
Stress is one of the major contributors to prostatitis. It may seem completely unrelated, but stress, anxiety, and emotional health factor into causing inflammation and pelvic tension. That is why stress management for treating prostatitis can be a very important therapy when it comes to chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). About half of the men…
One of the more interesting natural remedies for the most common form of prostatitis is pollen extract, which has been the topic of numerous studies. A recent endeavor looked at pollen extract for chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and how it fared against saw palmetto. Pollen extract for chronic pelvic pain syndrome Pollen extract, which…
Urinary incontinence that develops after prostatectomy surgery for prostate cancer, prostatitis or BPH is a significant problem. As many as 65 percent of men who have undergone prostatectomy for prostate cancer continue to suffer with urinary incontinence up to five years postsurgery. (Penson 2005) Finding effective ways to treat this distressing and often embarrassing condition…
Regional pain syndrome is a rare, painful, and long-lasting condition that can cause severe, constant burning in an affected arm or leg (or hands or feet). It is considered to be one of the possible causes of chronic prostatitis. Like chronic prostatitis, regional pain syndrome is not very well understood and the two conditions may…
Two randomized controlled studies found that drugs called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), which are commonly prescribed to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and male hair loss, can increase a man’s risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer, a more aggressive form of the disease. Given the new research results, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has…
How do you like your eggs? Over easy? Scrambled? How about switching to oatmeal? A new US study found that eating eggs may increase your risk of developing advanced prostate cancer. In fact, a number of studies have indicated that various foods, including eggs, dairy, and red meat increase risk of prostate cancer, as does…
Women have long relied on cranberry pills and juice to treat or prevent urinary tract infections, but cranberries can also benefit men. Taking cranberry products regularly can help support prostate health and may reduce the symptoms of prostatitis, an enlarged prostate, and urinary tract infections. Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) have been used for centuries for their…
Cadmium, a heavy metal found in cigarettes, batteries, paint, and some foods, could have a role in causing prostate cancer, according to an international team of researchers. This discovery could eventually lead scientists to develop new ways to treat prostate cancer. Cadmium can enter the body from smoking cigarettes, eating food (especially shellfish) and drinking…
