The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that is part of the male reproductive system. It is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. As men age, the prostate tends to get larger. This is one of several prostate changes that do not signal prostate cancer.

People with a prostate gland are at risk for developing prostate cancer. In the United States, it is estimated that over 3,000,000 men are currently living with prostate cancer.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 13 of every 100 men in the U.S. will get prostate cancer, and two to three of those will die from the disease.

Risk factors for prostate cancer

• Ethnicity — African American men are more likely to get prostate cancer than other groups, and are twice as likely to die from it
• Family history — Genetics play a role in risk of prostate cancer. You are at higher risk if you have more than one close relative (father, son or brother, and including your mother’s side of the family) who had prostate cancer. Also if you have a family member with a history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and/or pancreatic cancer you may also be at a greater risk of prostate cancer based on hereditary cancer genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2.
• Age — You are at greater risk if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 55

Healthy choices reduce risk of death

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health looked at whether those at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer could slow the onset or lessen symptoms of the disease through changes in diet, activity and other lifestyle modifications.

Study participants were given a healthy lifestyle score that considered factors such as their weight, physical activity and smoking status, as well as their consumption of tomatoes and fatty fish and a low intake of processed meats.

Those with the highest healthy lifestyle scores had about half the risk of developing lethal (meaning they would likely die from it) prostate cancer, as compared with the group with the lowest health lifestyle scores.

“The decreased risk of aggressive disease in those with a favorable lifestyle may suggest that the excess genetic risk of lethal prostate cancer could be offset by adhering to a healthy lifestyle,” according to head researcher Anna Plym, Ph.D.

While the results of this study are promising, the study does not show direct cause and effect, but rather a correlation between lifestyle and prostate cancer.

Reviewed by Chandler Park, MD

The post Can you reduce prostate cancer risks with healthy choices? Study shows promising results. appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

One in every 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer; however, the 66-year-old TV meteorologist falls into a category of higher risk.

“African American males are at a higher risk of being diagnosed, about 1 in every 7 men,” said Steven Patton, D.O., family medicine physician with Norton Community Medical Associates – Preston. “And because the cancer usually goes undetected, becoming more dangerous and deadly, African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer.”

But Dr. Patton is quick to point out that prostate cancer is the second most treatable cancer, and when it’s detected early, the outcomes can be positive for all men.

Screening for prostate cancer starts with a PSA or prostate-specific antigen blood test. This is a simple blood test that detects elevated levels of the prostate-specific antigen in your body. The second part is a digital rectal exam (DRE). The physical exam combined with the PSA blood test give the best results possible in detecting the cancer.

Norton Healthcare is offering community PSA screenings for men on Saturday, Nov. 21, at Norton Community Medical Associates – West Broadway, located at 1702 W. Broadway, Louisville. Participants also may receive a flu shot and a COVID-19 test during the event. There is no fee for the screening. The cost is being covered by a grant from the Norton Healthcare Foundation and does require an appointment.

“With prostate cancer there are usually no symptoms — that is why an annual screening starting at age 40 for men who have a sibling or parent who has been diagnosed and age 45 for African American men who have a family history is so important,” Dr. Patton said. “Regardless of race or family history, all men over the age of 50 should be screened annually.”

For Al Roker, his annual physical’s lab work detected an elevated PSA, and after consulting with his primary care provider and having a second elevated PSA blood test, he was referred to a specialist for a treatment plan. Surgery is planned, and then a further course of treatment will be determined, according to the story he shared on the “Today” show.

The post Prostate cancer impacts 1 in every 7 African American males appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

A new technique being used at Norton Cancer Institute is making it possible for more men to have fewer, but higher-powered, radiation treatments.

The prostate rests directly in front of the rectum, presenting a small risk of unintended damage to the rectum during radiation therapy. To reduce the risk, radiation oncologists traditionally administered a nine-week course of 44 treatments with a lower daily dose of radiation to the prostate.

The new technique allows for a shorter course of treatment with higher doses — by temporarily creating a buffer area between the prostate and the rectum.

SpaceOAR Hydrogel is injected as a liquid that expands between the prostate and rectum, creating a soft but firm buffer within 10 seconds.

The injection of SpaceOAR Hydrogel creates the space by moving the rectal wall farther from the prostate and reducing the risk that the radiation will damage healthy rectal tissue. Multiple major studies found men who underwent radiation therapy without SpaceOAR Hydrogel were eight times more likely to experience a decline in bowel, urinary and sexual function.

The gel remains in place during treatment. After about six months it liquifies, and the body flushes it through urine. SpaceOAR is also beneficial for prostate cancer patients with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease and who are more sensitive to radiation.

SpaceOAR Hydrogel can be useful for all patients undergoing prostate radiation therapy who want to reduce rectal side effects, but he requires the procedure to be performed with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) — high-dose 3D radiation delivered with pinpoint accuracy.

SpaceOAR Hydrogel is ideal for patients who are concerned of rectal side effects and want to minimize the chance of these side effects, or those who are candidates for SBRT.

The post New technology reduces side effects and allows for fewer, but stronger, prostate cancer radiation treatments appeared first on Norton Healthcare.