The late stage prostate cancer drugs list is growing for men who have metastatic prostate cancer that has resisted treatment with hormone therapy. Four options on the list are Provenge (sipuleucel-T), Xtandi (enzalutamide), Zytiga (abiraterone), and Xofigo (radium-223). How do you know which of the late stage prostate cancer drugs is best for you? That…
The root and stem bark of the magnolia tree (Magnolia officinalis) contains several active ingredients, including magnolol, which some scientists have identified as having anticancer properties. A number of studies have explored how magnolia bark fights prostate cancer and the potential to use a supplement in men who have the disease. Preliminary laboratory study results…
Statins, which are hailed for their ability to lower cholesterol levels, have a dark side that most recently includes evidence that they may be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Results of the study, published in the December 2011 issue of Prostate, fly in the face of previous research that has explored any…
A 65 year old healthy man, with no family history of prostate cancer, had a routine PSA of 4.7 ug/L. His digital rectal examination was normal. He became anxious and depressed. A transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy showed a single microfocus of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. He remains dispirited. A new disease entity was identified and termed…
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 clinical trial is studying whether combining Provenge with Zytiga for men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer leads to meaningful outcomes. In this particular study, scientists are examining whether there is a benefit in how well Provenge (sipuleucel-T) works when Zytiga (abiraterone acetate) is given at the same time or if it is better delaying treatment with…
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…
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…
Is prostate cancer genetic? While it is possible to inherit a higher chance of developing prostate cancer, your age, environment, and lifestyle are more likely to play a factor in acquiring prostate cancer than in inheriting it. About 10 percent of prostate cancer cases are considered hereditary, so do pay attention to your family history….
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….
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…
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…
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…
Cryotherapy, or freezing, is a method of destroying prostate cancer by subjecting the prostate gland to the extreme temperature of -40° Celsius. The procedure, done under anesthesia, consists of using ultrasound image guidance to insert thin hollow needles into the prostate gland through the perineum (skin between the scrotum and anus). When argon gas is…
Use of intermittent hormone therapy for prostate cancer is a common practice because treatment is associated with significant side effects, and going off the drug occasionally helps men get relief from those adverse effects. However, a new study shows men get the most benefit from continuous hormone therapy rather than intermittent therapy. Men who undergo hormone…
The treatment that many U.S. cancer patients receive to kill their cancer may actually enhance its growth. You don’t need to be told that chemotherapy is highly toxic stuff. This poison kills cells—both the cancer cells and healthy cells. But people may be surprised to learn that chemotherapy actually can boost cancer growth. Researchers made…
Cayenne peppers provide capsaicin, a substance that has demonstrated its cancer fighting abilities in several areas. In one laboratory study from 2007, for example, capsaicin slowed the growth of prostate cancer cells and prompted apoptosis (cell suicide), while a subsequent study found similar results regarding apoptosis and prostate cancer cells. The authors of a 2016…
A component in fish may stop prostate cancer from spreading, and it could be beneficial in other cancers as well. That’s the word from researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who identified a protein in Pacific cod that may interfere with prostate cancer metastasis. Prostate cancer that is localized, that is, has…
