SELECT | Food for Thought | PC Specs | Supplements and PSA Values
SELECT
Prostate cancer
is the most common type of cancer after skin cancer, among men in the
United States. Over 180,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer
this year. The National Cancer Institute has funded a study to find out
if taking selenium and Vitamin E will reduce prostate cancer. The Dickstein
Cancer Treatment Center at White Plains Hospital Center is one of the
sites conducting this study under the leadership and Principal Investigator,
Dr. Seth Lerner.
Click for more information.
Food for Thought: Tips to Promote Prostate Health
Prostate cancer mortality rates are lower in countries in which there is a high consumption of cereals, nuts, seed oils and fish. Additionally, consumption of selenium supplement, vitamin E (400 – 800 mIU/day), soy protein (20 – 40 g/day) and lycopene (found in cooked tomatoes) may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. It is also thought to be beneficial to consume a low fat diet (less than 20% of total calories derived from fat, with minimized consumption of red meat). Nutritional intervention for the prevention and treatment of cancer are areas of present and future studies.
PC Spes
PC Spes (PC for Prostate Cancer, “Spes” the Latin word for “hope”) is a combination of eight herbal ingredients. The most common herb is Saw Palmetto. The other herbs are Chinese in origin. PC Spes is sold in a pill form and was available until January 2002 in select health food stores, in pharmacies, from nutritionists, or by calling BOTANICLAB (the manufacturer) directly. There has been a recall of this product because synthetic compounds in some of the product that was tested.
There are some published articles in the medical journals that look at how this compound works. The mixture of herbs has been shown to kill prostate cancer cells that are growing in a Petri dish in the laboratory. However, how this product works is still unclear. There are ongoing clinical trials to better understand the mechanisms of this drug.
The question is, should you consider using PC Spes in the treatment of your prostate cancer? This is a difficult question to answer since there are no existing or prospective studies to rely on for a definitive answer. The decision to go on PC Spes should be made by you and your physician.
Supplements and PSA Values
Be aware that over-the-counter “health food” or “nutritional supplements” may potentially impact PSA values. DHEA (an herbal supplement) raises PSA levels and may stimulate cancer growth and Saw Palmetto may falsely lower PSA levels, thus potentially hindering cancer detection. Most importantly, discuss any supplements you are taking with your physician so that your treatment plan can be comprehensive.