Statin use may hide prostate cancer

My prostate cancer was discovered because of a spike in my PSA level that was noted during a routine annual doctor's visit. Others are first diagnosed for prostate cancer when their PSA level reaches a certain threshold.
In both cases, a biopsy usually follows.
What's a concern is that a report at Urology Today finds the use of statins lowers PSA levels, thereby giving inaccurate numbers that needed to give an accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Statins are a class of drug used to lower cholesterol levels in people at risk for heart disease. Lipitor, Zocor and Crestor are among the brand names of these drugs.
In a retrospective study of 1,214 men who used statins, researchers found that as LDL (bad cholesterol) dropped so did PSA levels.

"PSA decline was linearly associated with a decline in LDL and for every 10% LDL
decline there was a PSA decline of 1.64%."

Often, a threshold PSA level triggers the need for a biopsy. The reseachers found that the drop in PSA in as many 39% of the cases would have resulted in no biopsy being performed.

As is so often the case, there's a lot of uncertainty regarding statins and prostate cancer. Obviously more study needs to be done.
For instance:
-- A report earlier this summer found that the use of statins for the long term could raise the risk of prostate cancer among obese men.
-- A report in January found that men who were taking statins to lower their cholesterol had a 10 percent greater chance of being cured of prostate cancer by radiation therapy 10 years after diagnosis

Vote yellow on election day

Being an ardent bicyclist, as well as a cancer survivor, I always pay special attention when I hear from the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
The foundation is reminding the LiveStrong Army to get out and Vote Yellow on election day.
That means wear yellow when you vote to make the impression that those committed to battling cancer come out to vote on election day.
Both Obama and McCain pledged on the record that they would fight cancer if elected president. Wearing yellow should remind them of their pledge.
Find out more about Vote Yellow here.

Experimental drug shrinks prostate tumors

An experimental drug that shrinks tumors in the most aggressive, and almost always fatal, type of prostate cancer is being tested, according to the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The drug, abiraterone, is designed to block testosterone from being formed. While other drugs do this with some success, in some forms of prostate cancer the tumor cells themselves produce testosterone.

This test drug is said to block testosterone production everywhere in the body, including the tumor cells.

The initial test involved only 21 men, but a larger study involving 250 men is underway. If approved, Cougar Biotechnology of Los Angeles says the new drug could be available by 2011.

More at the LATimes.

Masturbation reduces risk of prostate cancer

....And we always thought it was the low-fat diet in some cultures that gave them a lower risk of prostate cancer.

An Australian study that was reported by the BBC back in 2003 found that cancer-causing chemicals could build up in the prostate if men do not ejaculate regularly.

The study went on to suggest that sexual intercourse may not have the same benefit because of the possibility of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, which could increase chance of getting cancer.

The Australian researchers questioned 1,000 men who had prostate cancer and 1,250 who didn't about their sexual habits. Those who ejaculated the most between 20 and 50 were less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Men who ejaculated more than five times a week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer later in life.

Graham Giles of the Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne said ejaculating may prevent carcinogens accumulating in the prostate gland. Fewer ejaculations may cause those carcinogens to build up.

"It's a prostatic stagnation hypothesis. The more you flush the ducts out, the
less there is to hang around and damage the cells that line them."

Here's a link to that BBC story, "Masturbation cuts cancer risk."

In spite of it being five years old, the story got a second wind this week when it was reported in PlanetOut on Monday, attributing it to a BBC story on Wednesday (yeah, Wednesday five years ago). The US News & World Report science blog called them out for drudging up this old news.

Old news or not, it's an interesting theory. Sure it's a ha-ha, wink-wink kind of story, but if valid, it certainly deserves to be pursued.

Prostate cancer treatments all have side effects

The many treatments for prostate cancer all have something in common, they all cause side effects that are sometimes long-lasting or even permanent.

Technological and medical advances try to reduce these the side effects, but a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that men suffered varying rates of incontinence, impotency and bowel problems after various treatments.

That's why men often take the side effects into account as often as the cure rates for prostate cancer treatments.

The methods studied: radiation beam, brachytherapy (radioactive seeds), surgical removal and hormone therapy.

According to the AP:

"No procedure was clearly best or worst."

That doesn't help making a decision any easier, does it.

The onset of side effects sometimes depend on the individual. Age, the size of the prostate, and previous urinary problems all can play a part in recovery.

In general, hormone therapy had a big effect on sexuality. It suppresses the production of testosterone.

Bracytherapy sometimes led to sexual problems, but more often caused discomfort with urination.

The surgical group reported a higher levels of urinary incontinence. The bracytherapy group had the highest levels of all urinary problems, however, which included pain and increased frequency. Those undergoing surgery and nerve sparing had a reduced risk of impotency, although it was not eliminated.

The beam radiation and radioactive seed group both reported bowel problems a year after surgery.

More at Science Daily and USA Today.

Prostate cancer forecasts for 2008

Prostate cancer will continue to be the leading type of cancer diagnosed among men in 2008 and will rank second, behind lung cancer, as the most deadly for men.

The forecasts are in the 2008 Cancer Facts and Figures Guide published by the American Cancer Society.

The success of detecting prostate cancer through the use of PSA tests, biopsies and digital rectal exams is probably the reason that one-quarter of all cancers detected in men are in the prostate. The rate was higher from 1988 to 1992, when the PSA tests first came into common use.

The American Cancer Society expects 186,320 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008 and 28,660 will die from it.

Like they always say, early detection is often the key to survival.

About 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lifetimes; nearly half of all men will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives.

The report finds that the rate of prostate cancer is significantly higher among African-American men; the death rate from prostate cancer is nearly double in African-Americans.

As bad as those rates are, prostate cancer has the highest potential for survival over five years. According to the stats, 98.4% of all men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive for at least five years. Before PSA tests came into use, the rate of survival after diagnosis for prostate cancer was only 69% in 1975-1977 and 76% in 1984-1986.

Relatively high survival rates are posted for cancer of the thyroid (96.7%), testes (95.4%) and melanoma (91.1%). Breast cancer has a 88.6% survival rate for 5 years.

The relative success in treating prostate cancer in its early stages is probably the reason why the American Cancer Society recommends annual PSAs and digital rectal exams in more over 50; age 45 for African-American males and men with a family history of the disease.

Don't be like the men in this UK study, which found that 1 in 5 were too "scared" to see the general practitioner regarding prostate problems and 16% feared a rectal exam.

Five reasons to join a prostate cancer support group

When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I immediately started researching the disease on the web and ordered a half-dozen books about my condition. But I did not seek out a prostate cancer support group. I wish I had.

What could I learn from a bunch of men that I couldn't learn from experts in the field? Lots.

As the date for my radical prostatectomy drew nearer, I began thinking that the voice of experience was as worthwhile as the voice of experts. I frantically called around to several groups in my area.

None of them had a meeting until after my surgery date. I made plans to attend the most convenient one, catheter and all.

Jump ahead six months and I still attend those monthly meetings.

This is a very easy and friendly way to learn about the disease. About a dozen men from the overall group of 80 or so show up every month. Although guys aren't known for opening up about themselves, these prostate survivors bare their souls.

1. Learn about treatments
Just about every month there's a new member who has just received "the word" from his doctor and he's looking for answers. We usually go around the table and tell our individual stories. The guy hears personal anecdotes about all the treatments. I hear about things I never read in the books.

So, you join to learn about treatments. But why keep going month after month?

2. Emotional support
Some guys have to live with prostate cancer. It's too far spread to treat by removing the prostate. These guys come for the emotional support.

3. Recovery issues
All the treatments -- surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal -- have side effects. Impotence and erectile dysfunction are two consequences that can be long-lasting. Hormonal treatment results in a loss of sex drive. Surgery and radiation therapy can also cause incontinence for weeks or months. You learn about what works or doesn't work in these support groups. Guys are comforable talking about these issues that they probably wouldn't broach anywhere else.

4. Information source
One in six men will get prostate cancer. You'll find that other men come to you for information. You owe it to them to be able to give the best advice possible. You'll get that in the support group.

5. You're not alone
I'll be frank. What doctors write in books or on the web won't always apply to you. The biopsy, I was told, is "nothing." Well, it was very uncomforable. My doctor told me that he had guys go "back to work four days" after the surgery. I had no energy and could just walk around the block. Sitting around and shooting the bull with other prostate cancer survivors, you learn that none of them were back to work four days later and one of the good things about treatment was that they wouldn't have to go back for a biopsy.

Where to look
UsToo International Prostate Cancer and Support

Man to Man

Cancermatch.com

Out With Cancer