Prostate Cancer and Best Foods for Prostate Health

Prostate cancer is a frequent kind of cancer in men, although it may be treated well if caught early.

The prostate serves a variety of purposes, including:

generating sperm-nourishing and sperm-transporting fluid
secreting prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein that aids in the preservation of the liquid condition of the sperm
assisting in the control of urine

In the United States, prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer among men. In fact, the American Cancer Society (ACS) predicts that there will be about 174,650 new prostate cancer diagnoses and 31,620 prostate cancer deaths in 2019.

Prostate cancer affects around one out of every nine men at some time in their lives. Only 1 in 41 of these, however, will die as a result of it. This is due to the fact that therapy is successful, particularly in the early phases. Many occurrences of prostate cancer can be detected early on thanks to routine screening.

Symptoms

Prostate cancer generally has no symptoms in its early stages, but screening can identify changes that could signal malignancy.

A test to detect PSA levels in the blood is used in screening. High levels indicate the presence of malignancy.

Symptoms that males may encounter include:

Urination is difficult to initiate and sustain.
Urge to pee often, especially at night; blood in urine or sperm
In certain circumstances, urinating might be painful. ejaculatory discomfort
If your prostate is enlarged, you may have trouble attaining or keeping an erection, as well as soreness or discomfort when sitting.

Advanced signs and symptoms

edema, or swelling in the legs or feet, especially in the hips, thighs, or shoulders bone fracture or bone pain, especially in the hips, thighs, or shoulders
slimming down
tiredness
bowel habits have changed
back ache

Treatment

Treatment will be determined by a variety of circumstances, including cancer’s stage.

We’ll go over various treatment choices for each stage of prostate cancer, as well as some novel techniques and what therapy implies for fertility, in the sections below:

Prostate cancer in its early stages

A doctor may suggest the following if the cancer is minor and localized:

Waiting or monitoring with vigilance

The doctor may examine PSA blood levels on a regular basis, but no urgent action will be taken. The danger of adverse effects from prostate cancer may exceed the necessity for urgent treatment.

Surgery

A prostatectomy can be performed by a surgeon. They can do laparoscopic or open surgery to remove the prostate gland.

Radiation therapy

is a type of treatment that uses Among the possibilities are:

Brachytherapy is a treatment in which a doctor implants radioactive seeds into the prostate to give targeted radiation therapy.

Conformal radiation treatment is a type of radiation therapy that targets a precise region while reducing the danger of damaging healthy tissue. Intensity-modulated radiation treatment, for example, employs variable-intensity beams.

Treatment will be determined by a number of things. A doctor will discuss the best course of action for the patient.

Prostate cancer that has progressed

As cancer progresses, it has the potential to spread throughout the body. The treatment choices will alter if cancer expands or returns after remission.

Among the possibilities are:

Chemotherapy: This treatment can destroy cancer cells all across the body, but it also has side effects.

Androgens are male hormones that are used in hormone treatment. Cancer cell development appears to be slowed or stopped when these hormones are blocked or reduced. One alternative is to have the testicles, which produce the majority of the body’s hormones, surgically removed. Various medications can also be beneficial.

In the later stages of cancer, most doctors do not suggest Trusted Source surgery since it does not treat cancer that has spread to other regions of the body. However, some specialists believe it may be beneficial in some situations.

New therapies are being developed.

Some of the more recent techniques seek to treat prostate cancer without the negative side effects that previous treatments can cause.

These are some of them:

high-intensity focused ultrasound (cryotherapy)

Fertility implications

In sexual reproduction, the prostate gland plays a function. Prostate cancer and many of its therapies have a variety of effects on fertility.

For example, removing the prostate gland or the testicles from a man can impair his sperm production and fertility.

Radiation therapy can also harm prostate tissue, causing sperm to be damaged and decreasing the amount of semen available for transit. Hormonal therapy can also have an impact on fertility.

However, there are a few alternatives for retaining these functions:

Before surgery, sperm is stored in a bank.
For artificial insemination, sperm is extracted straight from the testicles.

However, there is no certainty that fertility will be preserved following prostate cancer therapy. Anyone who wants to start a family after treatment should talk to their doctor about reproductive options as part of their treatment plan.

Causes

When certain alterations occur in glandular cells, prostate cancer develops.

Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia refers to malignant or precancerous cells in the prostate gland (PIN).

The PIN is seen in about half of all guys over the age of 50.

The alterations will be gradual at first, and the cells will not be malignant. They can, however, develop malignant with time. There are two types of cancer cells: high-grade and low-grade cancer cells.

High-grade cells are more likely to develop and spread, whereas low-grade cells are unlikely to proliferate and pose little threat.

Factors that are at risk

Doctors are unsure why prostate cancer develops, however, the following risk factors may increase the likelihood:

Age: After the age of 50, the risk increases, although it is uncommon before the age of 45.

It is more frequent among black guys than white males, regardless of race or ethnicity. Males of Asian and Hispanic descent are at a lesser risk than black and white men.

Prostate cancer runs in the family, so if a man has a close cousin who has had the disease, he is more likely to have it himself.

Inherited characteristics, such as alterations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, may raise the risk. Females who have mutations in these genes are more likely to develop breast cancer.

Other variables to consider

Other variables may have a role, according to some data, but scientists need additional information to validate their involvement:

Obesity, smoking, and chemical exposure, such as the herbicide Agent Orange, can cause prostate inflammation and sexually transmitted diseases.
Vasectomy

What about transgender individuals?

Whether or whether a person is born as a man, he or she might acquire prostate cancer. Trans women who take estrogen-based hormone treatment may have a decreased risk, although it still exists. Anyone born male should talk to their doctor about being screened for prostate cancer.

Stages

Knowing the stage of prostate cancer can assist a person to prepare for what to anticipate and help them make treatment options. The stages are listed below:

Precancerous cells are present at this stage, but they only affect a limited region and develop slowly. Cancer is only found in the prostate gland (stage 1), and it is localized. At this point, effective therapy is feasible.

Regional cancer has spread to surrounding tissues (stages 2–3). Cancer has spread to other areas of the body, such as the lungs or bones (stage 4).

Diagnosis

If a man exhibits symptoms that might be indicative of prostate cancer, his doctor will most likely:

enquire about your symptoms
Inquire about your personal and medical background.
Obtain a blood test to determine PSA levels.
Perform a urine test to search for other biomarkers.
During a DRE, the doctor will use their finger to manually examine for any abnormalities in the prostate.

Further tests

If a doctor suspects cancer, he or she may suggest further testing, such as:

A PCA3 test is a urine test that searches for the PCA3 gene.
A trans rectal ultrasound involves putting a camera-equipped probe into the rectum.
A biopsy is when a doctor takes a sample of tissue to examine under a microscope.
Only a biopsy can determine whether or not cancer is present and what sort of cancer it is.
A regular MRI or CT scan may be required for someone who requires monitoring rather than therapy.

Food to improve prostate health

Your diet may have a big impact on your overall health, including your prostate health. You may be able to lower your risk of prostate issues, including prostate cancer, by including healthy, prostate-friendly foods in your diet.

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent disease among men, impacting one out of every eight men in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society Although the precise function of food in prostate health is unknown, there are numerous possibilities. Some scientists feel that the Western diet’s high fat, high sugar content contributes to rising prostate cancer rates.

Some studies have linked a high-dairy-product diet and a high total calcium consumption from food and supplements to an increased risk of prostate cancer. More study is needed, however, to validate this relationship. You’ll still need to see your healthcare provider for frequent prostate cancer tests if you make dietary changes, but you may start supporting your prostate health by including the following 6 items in your diet.

Tomatoes

Lycopene is a strong antioxidant found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes. According to several studies, eating a diet rich in lycopene may help lower the risk of prostate cancer. Although additional study is needed to prove a benefit, researchers found that men who ate more tomatoes were less likely to acquire prostate cancer in an analysis of 24 trials.

Lycopene has been shown to reduce cell damage and delay the growth of cancer cells. It’s an antioxidant, which means it shields cells from harm. Your body has a hard time collecting lycopene because it is firmly linked to the cell walls of uncooked tomatoes. Tomato products that have been cooked or puréed, such as the following:

spaghetti sauce with tomato paste

tomatoes that have been dried out
juice of a tomato

How to Increase the Number of Tomatoes in Your Diet?

It’s easy to add more tomato-based dishes to your diet. There are a variety of tomato-based recipes to try. Adding sun-dried or fresh tomatoes to salads, eating eggs with sliced tomatoes or salsa, and eating tomato-based soups, for example, are all good methods to increase your lycopene consumption.

Fresh, local tomatoes are available during the summer months to add to sandwiches and salads. Another wonderful alternative is to drink simple tomato juice every morning.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a vegetable that includes a number of complex chemicals that may assist some individuals to avoid developing cancer. Some research suggests a relationship between the number of cruciferous vegetables you eat, which includes broccoli, and a reduced risk of prostate cancer

The causes are unknown, but researchers believe that compounds in these veggies, such as sulforaphane, which is abundant in broccoli sprouts, preferentially target and destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy prostate cells unharmed

Cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kale are examples of cruciferous vegetables.

How to Increase Broccoli Consumption?

Broccoli may be used to stir-fries, soups, and salads, or eaten raw or steamed. If you’re worried about fresh vegetables going bad, purchase frozen broccoli and prepare it whenever you get the opportunity.

Green tea

Green tea has been consumed for thousands of years due to its health advantages. Much research on its cancer-fighting properties has been done. Green tea may lower the risk of prostate cancer by affecting tumor development, cell death, and hormone signaling, according to research

Green tea’s health benefits might be explained by the following components:

derivatives of xanthine
epicatechin gallate (EGCG) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) epigallocate

How to Increase Your Green Tea Consumption?

If you prefer the flavor of green tea, start by replacing your morning coffee with a cup of it. Try a decaffeinated version if you want to avoid the caffeine. If you don’t care for hot tea, chill it in the refrigerator and serve it with ice for a pleasant drink. If you don’t like the flavor, try adding green tea powder to homemade smoothies or using cooled green tea as the liquid.

Soybeans and legumes

Beans, peanuts, and lentils are all part of the legume family of foods. Phytoestrogens are physiologically active plant chemicals found in legumes. One such phytoestrogen is flavones. According to one study, those who consumed the most phytoestrogens had a 20% lower risk of prostate cancer than those who consumed the least.

Phytoestrogens may have cancer-fighting capabilities due to their antioxidant characteristics and impacts on hormone control and cell death. While additional study is needed, several studies have linked soybean is flavones to a decreased risk of prostate cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), soy intake is linked to lower levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein generated by the prostate gland. The PSA test, which measures the amount of PSA in your blood, is used as a prostate cancer screening test.

This study also suggested that soy was more beneficial when consumed in combination with other cancer-fighting nutrients.

How to Increase the Number of Legumes and Soybeans in Your Diet?

Consider substituting plant protein for meat in at least some meals to increase your intake of legumes and soybeans. This might include experimenting with Meatless Mondays or transitioning to a plant-based diet.

Make a black bean burger with plenty of vegetables. Alternatively, a wonderful dip for veggies or whole-grain bread is homemade hummus prepared with pureed chickpeas.

Finally, tofu is a great source of soy protein. Tofu may be flavored with sauces and baked, browned on the stove, or used for stir-fries.

Juice from pomegranates

Pomegranates, like green tea, are high in antioxidants. Because of its high antioxidant content, pomegranate juice is known as a super fruit. Antioxidants may aid in the prevention of oxidative stress-related chronic illnesses.

According to the National Cancer Institute, pomegranate juice and some of its medicinal components may help prevent prostate cancer cells from proliferating. Pomegranate juice and extract have been shown to suppress the development of certain prostate cancer cells in animal and test-tube experiments, however additional human study is needed.

How can you include more pomegranate juice into your diet?

Pomegranate juice is available at most supermarkets. If the juice is too strong to consume straight, dilute it with plain water or add some sparkling water. To sweeten up your favorite salad, add pomegranate seeds to homemade salad dressing.

Fish

Polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3s and omega-6s, are necessary fatty acids that can only be obtained through food.

Omega-6 fatty acids are abundant in the conventional Western diet, whereas omega-3 fatty acids are scarce. A healthy mix of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids has been linked to improved health.

While there may be a relationship between increased omega-3 fat consumption and a decreased risk of high-grade prostate cancer and prostate cancer death, additional study, particularly human trials, is needed, according to many assessments.

Other health advantages of fatty fish include: Increase your omega-3 intake by eating fatty fish from cold waters. These are some of them:

salmon \herring \mackerel \sardines \trout

How to Increase the Amount of Fish in Your Diet?

It’s as simple as opening a can of sardines or tuna to increase your omega-3 intake. However, not everyone is enthralled with fish. Furthermore, it might be costly.

Try a different sort of fish if you haven’t tried it before. Each one has its own distinct flavor. Fresh fish has a milder flavor, so you could like it better if you get it from a fish counter and cook it that day.

Milder tastes can be found in cod, flounder, and trout. Add a lemon sauce to your fish or combine it with another prostate-friendly meal. Try baked fish with a tomato sauce, for example:

You may also add fish to spaghetti, soup, salads, and sandwiches to stretch your money. You won’t need as much fish to produce a whole supper this way.

Is there anything I should avoid eating?

Men with prostate cancer may be harmed by consuming a lot of certain foods, according to some research. Some of these foods are described below. There’s no need to exclude any of these things entirely from your diet. More study is needed to completely understand their impact on prostate cancer, but most of them may still be used in moderation as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Calcium and dairy products

It is abundant in dairy foods. Calcium is essential for healthy bones and overall health, therefore you should consume 700 mg per day, or 1200-1500 mg per day if you’re on hormone therapy.

Calcium and dairy meals at normal levels will not raise your risk of advanced prostate cancer. However, some research suggests that consuming a lot of calcium may raise your prostate cancer’s chances of developing and spreading. Others have found no relationship, although it’s a good idea to limit your calcium intake to less than 2000mg per day – roughly 1.6 liters of milk.

Meat

Meat It’s unclear how red and processed meat affects males with prostate cancer. Some evidence shows that overeating may increase your chance of aggressive and advanced prostate cancer, but other studies have shown no link. Some research has also shown that a low-meat, high-fruit, and vegetable diet may assist to delay the progression of prostate cancer.

Beef, pig, and lamb are examples of red meat. Consume no more than 500 grams of cooked red meat each week (700 to 750 grams before cooking). Meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting, or using preservatives is known as processed meat. Ham, bacon, and certain sausages, such as salami, are included. It’s better to stay away from processed meat.

Large quantities of meat cooked at high temperatures or to a high degree of doneness, such as barbecued, grilled, or fried meat, may also raise your risk of advanced cancer. Chemicals produced when meat burns may be to blame, as they can harm cells. As a result, try to avoid eating a lot of meat that has been cooked at extremely high temperatures.

Fat

For your body to function correctly, you must consume some fat. However, consuming too much fat might cause you to gain weight, which increases your chances of developing aggressive or advanced prostate cancer.

Fat comes in a variety of forms. Men with prostate cancer may survive longer if animal fats are replaced with vegetable oils. Some study also shows that consuming a lot of saturated fat is associated to an increased chance of prostate cancer recurrence after surgery, as well as the development of advanced prostate cancer

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