Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels may lower risk of prostate cancer

Men who keep their cholesterol levels in check may decrease their chances of developing prostate cancer, in addition to keeping their heart healthy, as science has already shown. In fact, two recent studies indicate that maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol may be a good form of cancer prevention. In one study, results showed that men who retained healthy levels of cholesterol in the range below 200 actually cut their risk of developing high-risk prostate tumors by more than 50 percent in comparison to men with high ranging cholesterol levels. In the second study, findings showed that men with high levels of good (HDL) cholesterol were slightly less likely to develop prostate cancer in any form, compared to men with very low HDL cholesterol levels. The studies were recently published in the journal of the American Association for Cancer Research called Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. Both studies support prior research indicating that by limiting fats in the bloodstream, the risk of cancer can be lowered. Share and Enjoy:

New prostate cancer vaccine shows promise

There are many health concerns today when it comes to illnesses, but one of the number one health concerns for a man to consider is prostate cancer. There are already treatments available for this type of cancer, but now there is a new one to consider. Provenge, which an experimental treatment vaccine for advanced prostate cancer, has met researchers’ goal in a key trial that is needed to get FDA approval. This news was recently announced by Dendreon, which is the company that makes the vaccine Provenge. Mitchell Gold, M.D. and the president and chief executive of Dendreon, said that they believe that this vaccine is truly a breakthrough for the prostate cancer community a testament to the promise of the field for cancer immunotherapies. Provenge is a biologic drug that is given by infusion to spur the immune system to help fight against advanced prostate cancer that does not respond to anti-androgen treatment. Share and Enjoy:

Excess weight gain may increase risk of prostate cancer

We are all aware of the plethora of complications that can arise from packing on excess pounds, the most common being high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and diabetes. Obesity also results in an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. In females, there is up to a threefold increase in the incidence of breast, cervical and ovarian cancer, while the risk of endometrial cancer is up to seven times higher. For men, there is an increased incidence of colon cancer and, according to a new study—prostate cancer, especially for white men who gained excess weight in young adulthood. To find out more about the relationship between weight and prostate cancer, researchers at the University of Hawaii collected and analyzed on nearly 84,000 men of different ethnic groups; African-Americans, Japanese, Latinos, Native Hawaiians and Caucasians, all of whom had participated in a long-term study called the Multiethnic Cohort. Overall, more than 5,500 were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Share and Enjoy: