Top 10 Considerations for Preventing Prostate Cancer

Top 10 Considerations for Preventing Prostate Cancer

To understand how to prevent prostate cancer, one must first understand what causes it. There are four major factors that influence one's risk for developing prostate cancer, factors which unfortunately cannot be changed.

Age: The average age at diagnosis of prostate cancer in the United States is 69 years and after that age the chance of developing prostate cancer becomes more common than any other cancer in men or women.

Race: African Americans have a 40% greater chance of developing prostate cancer and twice the risk of dying from it. Conversely, Asian men who live in Asia have the lowest risk; however when they migrate to the west, their risk increases.

Family history: A man with a father or brother who developed prostate cancer has a twofold increased risk for developing it. This risk is further increased if the cancer was diagnosed at a younger age (less than 55 years of age) or affected three or more family members.

Where you live: The risk of developing prostate cancer for men who live in rural China is 2% and for men in the United States 17%. When Chinese men move to the western culture, their risk increases substantially; men who live north of 40 degrees latitude (north of Philadelphia, Columbus, Ohio, and Provo, Utah) have the highest risk for dying from prostate cancer of any men in the United States – this effect appears to be mediated by inadequate sunlight during three months of the year which reduces vitamin D levels.
Given the facts above, which are difficult to change, there are many things that men can do, however, to reduce or delay their risk of developing prostate cancer. Why is prostate cancer so common in the Western culture and much less so in Asia, and why when Asian men migrate to western countries the risk of prostate cancer increases over time? We believe the major risk factor is diet – foods that produce oxidative damage to DNA. What can you do about it to prevent or delay the onset of the disease?

1. Eat fewer calories or exercise more so that you maintain a healthy weight.
2. Try to keep the amount of fat you get from red meat and dairy products to a minimum.
3. Watch your calcium intake. Do not take supplemental doses far above the recommended daily allowance. Some calcium is OK, but avoid taking more than 1,500 mg of calcium a day.
4. Eat more fish – evidence from two large studies suggest that fish can help protect against prostate cancer because they have "good fat" particularly omega-3 fatty acids.
5. Try to incorporate cooked tomatoes that are cooked with olive oil which has also been shown to be beneficial, and cruciferous vegetables into many of your weekly meals.
6. Eat more soy.
7. Top off your meal with green or black tea.
8. What about supplements? Although selenium and vitamin E have been shown to reduce the frequency of prostate cancer in smokers, the correct dose is tricky. Too much can be harmful. Until we know more about the value of these supplements, do not take more than you'll find in a multivitamin preparation.
9. Eat an apple a day, or better yet, an apple, an orange, a bowl of vegetable soup, tomatoes, broccoli, and maybe some corn on the cob. Try nature's packaging of phytochemicals instead of the health food store. Studies have shown that simply eating an apple a day gives your body far more antioxidant and cancer fighting help than taking megadoses of vitamins.
10. Finally, eating all the broccoli in the world, though it may make a difference in the long run, does not take away your risk of having prostate cancer right now. If you are age 40 or over, if you have a family history of prostate cancer, or African American, you need more than a good diet can guarantee. You need a yearly rectal examination and PSA test.