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The Prostate Aging Problem And Prostate Cancer Prevention

May 5th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Over the years there has been considerable debate about and the subject of prevention in particular remains somewhat controversial. Although, as with many cancers, men do not themselves cause the onset of , there are certainly a number of risk factors for developing the disease and there is a great deal that can be done, if not to prevent it, then certainly to reduce the risk of developing it.

The first step in preventing is to understand that you are at risk of developing the condition and to know just why you are at risk. Here the starting point in understanding the risk is heredity.

There is no doubt that men with a family history of are at greater risk and, in general, the risk for a man with one close relative having is about twice that of a man without any family history. With two close relatives this risk rises to about five times that of someone with no family history and with three close relatives reaches a staggering ninety-seven percent.

The problem here is that many men are unaware of their family history, not least because many grandfathers, fathers or brothers have died from other illnesses and were perhaps never even aware of the fact they have . This happens because will often develop late in life and can be a very slow growing cancer. As a consequence there is a good chance that individuals will develop other conditions alongside their on which attention is focused and which ultimately results in their death.

So, if you are not sure of your family history, then a good starting point is to check things out if you can. If this is not possible, then it’s probably a good idea to err on the side of caution and assume that the risk might be there rather than assume that you’re in the clear.

Another important factor is that of race. African American men for example, and men of African descent, are at a greater risk than Hispanic men who, in turn, are at more risk than Caucasian men. The risk for an African American man is about sixty percent higher than that of a Caucasian man.

The next risk factor is diet and men living in Western countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom are at increased risk because of the high levels of fat in many Western diets. Here for the first time is a risk factor that you can actually do something about and lowering the fat in your diet and eating such things as more fresh fruit and vegetables can lessen your risk quite considerably.

At this point we start to run into difficulty as, beyond the basic principle of reducing fat your diet, opinions begin to differ when it comes to other aspects of the diet which may be helpful in prevention.

There is little doubt that levels of such things as vitamins and minerals in your diet can have a dramatic effect on your health generally and will certainly have a part to play when it comes to prostate health. However, determining just which vitamins and minerals play a part is not an easy matter and is certainly a subject all of its own.

For more information about prostatecancerexplained.com/articles/the-prostate-aging-problem-and-prostate-cancer-prevention.html” target=”_blank prevention and the search for a prostatecancerexplained.com” target=”_blank cure please visit ProstateCancerExplained.com

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Understanding The Many Choices in Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

May 5th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

When it comes to treatment options, decisions for a proper course of action are determined through sufficient analysis of ones immediate health status. Numerous factors come into play, including age, overall health, cancer cell amount, cancer stage, as well as personal preferences. Prostate cancer is a highly curable disease when detected and treated early. This slow-growing menace often allows patients to take the time to fully research all possible treatment options before making a final decision.

There are three main approaches towards eliminating . Below you will find a brief explanation regarding these and a few other considerations:

Observation

Through watchful waiting, regular checkups and tests will monitor a slow-growing cancer when caught early enough. This treatment option is often chosen by men who are in their 70s and 80s, as they wish to avoid the side effects that come with having surgery and radiation at a late age.

Surgery

When surgery is performed to remove the cancer, it is called a prostatectomy, where the prostate gland is taken out. During this procedure, lymph nodes might also be removed as well. To make sure surrounding nerves aren’t damaged, such as the ones that are responsible for having an erection, it is suggested to seek out a surgeon who is quite familiar with this type of operation.

Radiation

Intense energy rays (much like X-rays) are used to eradicate cancer through this treatment method. While each treatment lasts for only a minute or two, radiation is administered five times per week for a period of 4-8 weeks. There are two different manners in which radiation is given: internally and externally. A large machine delivers external radiation, while needles inject radioactive seeds into the prostate for an internal remedy. You should also know that this option too has the potential to damage surrounding nerves.

Additional Treatment Methods

While the use of a high level of heat is still being tweaked as a treatment option, freezing the prostate gland to kill off cancer has been used on early-stage cancer patients. Cryosurgery deals with the insertion of probes into the prostate gland that contain very cold gas that freezes damaged tissue. As an outpatient procedure, this may take a lead in providing convenient, speedy cancer care. Only a limited amount of people has experienced this tactic, as it is too soon to conclude on its long-term effectiveness.

Ongoing Treatment

No matter what treatment method you choose, ongoing observation should continue. Regular check-ups are a must, which includes an extensive follow-up on your cancer status. A patient will most likely encounter physical exams, PSA tests, digital rectal exams, biopsies, and urinalysis.

As a patient searches for the answer to calm their fears, it is important to research all possible options, as well as all of the likely side effects. For some, radiation may prove too much to bear on the body, while surgery may ease chemical apprehension. Ultimately, the best outcome is one that is well thought out, matching personal preferences and current health circumstances.

For more onlineprostatehealthguide.com/article-22-prostate-cancer-treatment-options.html treatment options try visiting onlineprostatehealthguide.com/ onlineprostatehealthguide.com, a website that specializes in providing treatment tips, advice and resources to include information on spotting the onlineprostatehealthguide.com/article-20-sign-of-prostate-cancer.html signs of .

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A Surreal Experience

May 5th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

This past July I went in for a physical. I try to see my Doctor every year or so to make sure the body that is getting older is generally working OK. Prior to going in I had a blood test done to take in with me. I always get a copy of the results to review and file away. The test results show different components of the blood, and indicate whether the results fall into a “normal” range. My good cholesterol score was a little low and my PSA result, at 7.6, was higher than the suggested range of 0 to 3.5.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood. I knew that it had something to do with or related problems. My next step was to Google it on the web to see what that score meant. I found a wide range of acceptable numbers, which took the edge off my concern a bit.

A week later I saw my Doctor. I found that I was in good shape, relatively speaking, but he had a concern about the PSA jumping from 1.4 to 7.6 in 16 months. He then did a DRE, digital rectal exam. This is the least favorite, and feared, part of a physical for guys. He felt something abnormally firm in the prostate, and was concerned about the changes and referred me to a urologist. The urologist did an ultrasound test and took some biopsies of the prostate. He said that the odds of it being were 33%, and that I would hear back from him within a week.

The odds. I then launched myself into the world of statistics and odds. Most of this research was internet based. It turns out that we have a 1 in 6 chance of getting . When caught and treated early, has a cure rate of over 90%. Most men who go through treatment have short to long term problems with incontinence and impotence however. Having all this information is good, but also overwhelming and scary. Odds are fine, but what will happen with me?

On August 28th I found out that I had . To distract my self from my concerns, I immersed myself into what treatment options were available. At this point in time, and with males in their 50’s and 60’s, the treatment of choice is to remove the prostate gland, which sits just below the bladder. To do this requires operative procedures that run from the most typical hands-on surgery to a state of the art robotically assisted laparoscopic approach. Once again the choice of what to do came down to the odds of post operative complications. Most procedures get the cancer out.

I chose to go to City of Hope in Los Angeles. It is a world renowned cancer focused hospital that does more robotic surgeries that anyplace west of the Mississippi. The procedure is a highly precise approach, where the surgeon is looking into a 3-D video console and remotely manipulating 5 robotic arms. The machine actually looks like a robot on wheels.

I had my surgery on October 9th, and the surgeons say that they got all the cancer out of me. I am a lucky man. My life now is focused on getting things back to normal, or maybe, and probably, a life with a greater appreciation of the people and life I have.

Anybody that hasn’t had a physical with a blood test is playing Russian roulette with their life. Nobody wants to hear potentially bad news, but it is better than the alternative of dying. Get checked out!

Steve Thayer is a California State Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Certified Financial Planner™, and co-owner of MyVitalFiles.com MyVitalFiles.com, a Home Filing Solutions Company. He has written articles for various publications for 30 years, and besides working in counseling and financial consulting, his goal is to help make life less tedious and more fulfilling for people by developing paperwork filing solutions.

You may contact him at MyVitalFiles.com MyVitalFiles.com and mailto:steve@MyVitalFiles.com steve@MyVitalFiles.com.

© Steve Thayer 2007 All rights Reserved - May not be copied or distributed without the author’s permission

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The Role Of Brown Seaweed In The Next Generation Of Cancer Treatments

May 5th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

What does a brown seaweed have to do with ?
Quite a lot, as researchers
are finding out. This article will explain
it’s role in ,
and what that means for you.
The Life Cycle of a Cell
Normal cells have a lifespan just like people do. Sometimes
they die before their time due
to injury or blood loss. Otherwise they live their allotted
time, then shut themselves off.
This is called apoptosis (also known as cell “suicide”). A
cell can go through apoptosis
early—it’s programmed to do so if its genetic information
becomes damaged or altered in
some way.
Sometimes things go terribly wrong. A cell’s genetic
information alters, but the cell
doesn’t shut itself off. Instead, it replicates
uncontrollably. You have cancer.
The Role of the brown seaweed in Apoptosis
Researchers are looking for a way to reliably induce
apoptosis—to get the cancer cells to
shut off like they’re supposed to. This is a complex
process. The trick is to get the cancer
cells—and only the cancer cells—to shut down. If researchers
figure out how to do this,
doctors could target cancer cells and kill them before they
take over a patient’s body.
Fucoidan, a key nutrient in brown seaweed, has caught
the attention of a growing
number of researchers looking for a way to induce apoptosis.
We have to stress here that
fucoidan is not a cure—researchers have yet to figure out
why some cells fail to die. But
fucoidan may be a powerful way to treat cancer once it has
developed.
Researchers in Japan found that when fucoidan was introduced
to cancer cells in a Petri
dish, the cancer was destroyed. French scientists reported
that fucoidan has anti-tumor
capabilities. It can cut off a tumor’s blood supply,
preventing further growth.

There are other researchers exploring many different ways to
treat cancer once it spreads.
Unlike many man-made treatments, the brown seaweed has no known side
effects. The fucoidan inside of
it is extremely digestible. The Tongans and Japanese have
been using the brown seaweed( called Limu Moui by the Tongans)
for over 3,000 years. These peoples enjoy a level of
health and wellness Westerners
with their drugs can only dream about.
Researchers will eventually find practical treatment options
for cancer. Fucoidan will
likely be one of them. Once these treatments pass clinical
testing, they will have to go
through the slow process of FDA approval.
But you can enjoy all the health benefits of this brown seaweed right now. It is widely
available through distributors around the world. You may not
be able to cure cancer, but
you can raise your chances of surviving it.
This brown seaweed is not a medicine or a drug. While it can promote wellness, i
t is not a cure. Do not use this or any article as a substitute for medical advice.
Consult your doctor.

To learn more about what this brown seaweed can do for you, visit
hellolimu.limupro.com hellolimu.limupro.com or email Maurice at mailto:hellolimu@limupro.com hellolimu@limupro.com

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