prostate cancer Archives

Apr

2023

What you Must Know about Male Hormones

By Ray Schilling | andropause, Anti-aging medicine, Cancer, Diabetes, hair loss, heart attack, Infertility, prostate cancer, prostate hypertrophy, Stroke, testosterone

Dr. Pamela Smith, an anti-aging physician gave a talk about what you must know about male hormones. She spoke on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 at the Sands Conference Center of the Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas. The title was “What you must know about male hormones”. She presented 199 slides, so the following can only be a brief summary of what she said. She started by saying that the term “male menopause” goes back in time to 1944. Other terms are andropause and late onset hypogonadism.

Different testosterone levels at different ages

It is important to realize that at age 20 the blood testosterone level is around 900 ng/dL, but this declines after age 30. It is 550 ng/dL at the age of 40. At the age of 50 the testosterone level is 350 ng/dL. And at the age of 70 the testosterone level has shrunk to 200 ng/dL or less. With this in mind, there are also seasonal variations with higher levels of testosterone occurring in summer and early fall, and low levels happening in winter and early spring. A healthy male produces the following male hormones: Testosterone, 5-6 mgs/day; Androstenedione, 3 mgs/day; DHT, 0.300 mgs/day; DHEAS, 50 mgs/day; and DHEA, 15 mgs/day.

Functions of testosterone

In other words, testosterone is the male hormone responsible for the male body characteristics. Every male body cell has testosterone receptors on it. Truly, this way testosterone is involved in protein manufacture and muscle maintenance. In fact, bone formation depends on testosterone and oxygen uptake as well. It is also controlling blood sugar together with insulin. In addition, normal sperm production depends on testosterone. To clarify, testosterone also regulates cholesterol and the immune system. By all means, it also helps to improve mood, is important for mental concentration and helps protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, there is stimulation of platelets and megakaryocytes by testosterone, which makes blood clotting easier.

Symptoms of andropause

It must be remembered, towards the end of their 60’s many men get symptoms of tiredness, loss of energy and depression. Specifically, they may get a bad temper, present with irritability, anxiety and nervousness. Specifically, they complain of a loss of memory, loss of sex drive and libido. Certainly, their erections are getting weak or they lose them altogether. There is a decreased intensity of orgasm and they are gaining weight. All this should prompt their physician to have a total testosterone blood test done. When the testosterone level is less than 500 ng/dL the person should see their physician for replacement testosterone therapy.

Other signs of testosterone deficiency

There are other signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency: backaches and joint pains, loss of fitness, being overstressed. In addition, testosterone-deficient males experience a decrease in job performance and a decline in physical fitness. They have bone loss, elevation of their blood cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease. They often also have increased insulin resistance, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Mortality in men with low testosterone is much higher than in controls with normal testosterone. Several dozens of literature references were provided to support the above statements.

Testosterone replacement and hormone balance

When a patient is on testosterone replacement, a digital rectal exam should be performed to check for the size of the prostate gland. A PSA should be done every year (in former prostate cancer patients every 3 months). PSA should stay below 4.0 ng/mL. If the PSA rises by 1.5 ng/mL in one year or by 0.75 ng/mL in two consecutive years, a urologist should be consulted to rule out prostate cancer.

Men produce small amounts of estrogens, which are important for memory function of the brain and for strong bones. Androgens and testosterone aromatize into estrogen via the enzyme aromatase in fatty tissue. There are a few reasons why aromatase increases: obesity, excessive alcohol intake, chronic inflammation and high insulin levels.

The following medications lower estrogen levels: phenobarbital, carbamepazine, trazodone, chlordiazepoxide and sulcrafate.

Side effects from elevated estrogen levels

Increased estrogen levels in males cause gynecomastia (colloquially called “beer tits”), decreased sex drive, heart attacks, strokes and benign prostate hypertrophy. Elevated estrogen levels also cause insulin resistance, rheumatoid arthritis and prostate cancer. Dr. Smith referenced all of these statements again with many literature quotations.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)

This metabolite of testosterone is 3-times stronger than testosterone. It is formed from testosterone by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. It is responsible for the male-specific characteristics, the male genitalia and the prostate gland. Low levels of DHT cause reduced sexual function, decreased libido and weakened muscle function. On the other hand, elevated DHT causes male pattern baldness, hirsutism and benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH). There are two 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, namely finasteride and dutasteride, that clinicians use to lower elevated DHT levels. This can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by about 50%. Dr. Smith provided many literature quotations to support these statements.

Testosterone replacement therapy

Based on more than 3 dozen literature quotations Dr. Pamela Smith outlined the following:

Most men tolerated transdermal testosterone application very well.
Erectile dysfunction affects 1 in 5 older men.
Erectile dysfunction in association with low blood testosterone and low libido responds to transdermal application of testosterone very effectively.
It may take 14-25 weeks before transdermal testosterone treats erectile dysfunction successfully, more than 50% of men respond to this.
Testosterone replacement prevents beta amyloid precursor protein production, which increases memory and decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s development.
High stress produces high cortisol levels in the blood, which affect the hippocampus, where memory is located. Testosterone is neuroprotective, and it preserves memory.
Transdermal testosterone decreases coronary heart disease by relaxing coronary arteries. This prevents heart attacks and strokes.
Testosterone decreases inflammation and lowers LDL cholesterol.

More facts about testosterone replacement therapy

Testosterone lowers inflammatory cytokines and stimulates interleukin-10 production. This has anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic actions, which prevents heart attacks.
There was a reduction in mortality from heart attacks in the testosterone treated group of between 66% and 92%. In addition, 30 nonfatal strokes and 26 nonfatal myocardial infarctions occurred in the control group, but none in the testosterone group. Testosterone deficient heart failure patients responded very well to testosterone replacement therapy.
Prostate cancer or benign prostate hypertrophy do not increase with transdermal testosterone replacement therapy.

A Meta-analysis showed that older men with the highest risk for prostate cancer have the lowest testosterone blood levels.
Type 2 diabetics with a high insulin resistance respond well to testosterone replacement therapy. They increase insulin sensitivity and lower their blood sugars. This improvement peaks after 3 months and the effect stays for 12 months.

Further facts about testosterone replacement therapy

Testosterone replacement is safe. It provides significant benefits for erectile dysfunction, for muscle mass, prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, prevention of heart attacks and strokes. Testosterone treatment is for males above the age of 50, there is no cut-off for higher ages. There are many controlled clinical trials spanning over 70 years, which support all of what is presented here.
Testosterone can’t be taken orally, because it is rapidly metabolized in the liver. Instead, patients use transdermal testosterone gel or cream. Gels are commercially available and very expensive. Compounding pharmacies can provide testosterone creams for you, which are considerably cheaper and can be dosaged according to the patient’s needs. Testosterone esters in oil are available for subcutaneous or intramuscular injection twice per week. This ensured a steady testosterone level.

Improvements after testosterone replacement therapy

Timing of improvements: cholesterol reduction occurs by 12 months, for triglycerides it takes 22 months. Testosterone levels take 4 to 12 weeks to normalize. Fasting blood sugars and Hemoglobin A1C come own within 3 months with further improvements by 12 months. Sexual desire and energy are back to normal within 3 to 6 weeks.
It is important that you go for blood tests to measure testosterone levels every 3 months initially (blood level). If the levels are stable, the physician may decide to only order tests every 6 months.

What you Must Know about Male Hormones

Conclusion

The goal in the aging male is to maintain optimal male hormone levels. This achieves optimal health and prevents diseases of older age. First, it is important to preserve his erections, but at the same time testosterone replacement therapy prevents Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. It also prevents heart attacks and strokes. Testosterone helps to preserve muscle mass. Hormone replacement therapy keeps lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides under control. Testosterone replacement reduces blood sugars and prevents type 2 diabetes mellitus. Replacement therapy also reduces elevated insulin levels. The end result is that testosterone replacement therapy maintains the health of the aging male.

Oct

2020

Irregular Periods are Linked to Premature Deaths

By Ray Schilling | Hormones, irregular periods, Menopause, prostate cancer

A review in CNN describes that irregular periods are linked to premature deaths. This review is based on the original publication in the British Medical Journal published on September 30, 2020.

Essentially, the researchers followed 79,505 premenopausal women without a history of cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes for 24 years. The researchers recorded 1975 premature deaths. The definition for a premature death was someone dying before the age of 70. There were three age groups that the researchers followed separately for 24 years.

ages 14-17 years
18-22 years
29-46 years

The most common causes of death were 894 from cancer and deaths from 172 strokes and heart attacks.

Death rates after 24 years for the three subclasses just mentioned

The researchers noted that there were differences in survival for different age groups. But there were also differences in survival for irregular periods versus prolonged intervals between periods. Crude mortality rates for 1000 person years of follow-up for women with normal versus irregular periods were as follows.

Normal periods Irregular periods

14-17 age : 1.05 14-17 age: 1.0

18-22 age: 1.23 18-22 age: 1.37

29-46 age: 1.0 29-46 age: 1.68

Women with a cycle length of 40 days or more had a higher mortality rate. The researchers compared this to women with a normal cycle length (26-31 days). Here are the data in detail for two age groups at the outset of the study.

Women with a cycle length of 40 days or more

Age 18-22: 1.34

Age 29-46: 1.40

Heart attacks and strokes followed these death statistics closest.

Discussion

The researchers concluded that teenagers and women in their middle-age were at the highest risk. This risk was for premature mortality, if they had irregular periods or a cycle length of 40 days or more. There was also an association between irregular periods and a prolonged cycle length and type 2 diabetes, ovarian cancer and coronary heart disease. In addition, mental health problems were also related, the study said.

Dr. Adam Balen, a professor of reproductive Medicine at Leeds Teaching Hospitals in the UK said: “Young women with irregular periods need a thorough assessment not only of their hormones and metabolism, but also of their lifestyle so that they can be advised about steps that they can take which might enhance their overall health”.

Too much estradiol in women and men can cause cancer

In this context it is interesting that other studies have shown that unopposed estradiol may be the culprit for both irregular periods and larger intervals between periods. When estrogen is elevated in females, irregular periods can result. Unopposed estradiol can cause breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.

In males who also have a small amount of estrogen in their blood, it is important that a larger amount of testosterone balances the two hormones. Otherwise there is a risk of prostate cancer.

In addition, cardiovascular disease has been described as a side effect of standard hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women with synthetic hormones.

The good news is that treatment with bioidentical hormones can treat these abnormal periods. This eliminates premature mortality and in many cases prolongs life.

Conclusion

Researchers followed 79,505 premenopausal women without a history of cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes for 24 years. They found that there is a linkage between irregular periods and premature deaths. There were three age groups that the researchers followed. Some of them suffered from irregular periods and others had periods that were 40 days or longer apart. The researchers recorded the premature mortalities. At an age of 29-46 there was a 68% higher mortality in women with irregular periods. The scientists compared this to women who had regular periods. In addition, women aged 29-46 with a cycle length of 40 days or more had a 40% higher mortality.

Estrogen dominance could explain premature deaths

The researchers compared this to women with a normal cycle length. It is possible that women who died prematurely were having too much estrogen in their system, which can produce cardiovascular disease and cancer of the breast, uterus and ovary. Further studies need to clarify the mechanism behind irregular periods and why a cycle length of 40 days or more causes mortality.

May

2020

New Multi Cancer Blood Screening Test

By Ray Schilling | breast cancer, Cancer, cervical cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, prostate cancer

A recent publication describes how a new multi cancer blood screening test can diagnose various cancers early. Many years back the same research group at the Johns Hopkins Medical School did lung cancer screening studies. The researchers then were analyzing saliva samples between 1974 and 1982. They identified 15 patients who later developed adenocarcinoma of the lung. The researchers were able to diagnose the lung cancer 1 year prior to what ordinary screening tests could do. This ensured an early diagnosis and early treatment with a better long-term prognosis.

Liquid biopsy promises early cancer detection

The new publication from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, is based on the following fact: Cancer cells consist of mutated cells. They shed DNA with mutations typical for this cancer into the bloodstream. By taking blood samples and analyzing the circulating mutated DNA researchers can first establish that the DNA belongs to a certain cancer mutation. But at the same time, they can locate the cancer, if they find mutated DNA. The pathologist can say that the patient has a cancer in a breast, the colon, lungs or ovaries, wherever it is located.

Oncoblot test was a precursor to the multi cancer blood screening test

Around 2014 a cancer screening test came out of the human genome project. It was called the Oncoblot test. It screened for 25 of the most common cancers. And it was screening for ENOX2 proteins from cancer cells. Apparently, this is a fetal protein normally expressed only during fetal life, bit in adults only expressed when a cell turns cancerous. It was a 1000 USD test in the US that health plans did not cover. But it screened for more than 25 different common cancers 6 to 8 years before they become clinically manifest: Suddenly around 2017 the Oncoblot test was no longer available. I could not find out the reason for this. Was the test producing too many false positives or false negatives? This would have made this cancer screening test unreliable. Apparently researchers of the Oncoblot test company are attempting to refine the test further.

My own case of prostate cancer

Strangely enough in 2016 I had an Oncoblot test done and it accurately diagnosed that I had prostate cancer. My cancer specialist from Ft. Lauderdale used Doppler ultrasound to visualize it and performed a 3-dimensional prostate biopsy to verify the histology. Subsequently he removed it with ablation cryotherapy, because a study of his involving 70 prostate cancer patients and spanning over 10 years had shown the best survival data. My 3-monthly PSA values since have been negative for recurrent prostate cancer.

New multi cancer blood screening test from Johns Hopkins Medical School

A review in Science magazine explains the details of the new multi cancer blood screening test. It is called CancerSEEK and is based on 16 common genetic markers that show changes in cancer cells. In addition, the researchers also test for cancer-related proteins, which change when cancer cells are present. The test also indicates the location of the early cancer. CancerSEEK can detect about 60% of liver cancers and 100% of ovarian cancer. The researchers tested 812 healthy controls. Only 7 (1%) tested positive for cancer. CancerSEEK also tested 1005 patients who had early cancer.

More details of the CancerSEEK test

The test detected between 33% and 98% of cases, which depended on the tumor type. The sensitivity was 69% or higher for stomach, pancreatic, and esophageal cancers; ovarian and liver cancer had a sensitivity of 98%. In 80% of the cases physicians could narrow the positive cancer test to two possible sites. The researchers think that the cost of one CancerSEEK test will be less than 500.00 USD. There is another study described where 9,911 participants were enrolled. 25 cancers were found. The diagnosis involved 2 lymphomas, 2 colorectal cancers, one appendix cancer, 2 uterine cancers, one thyroid cancer, one kidney cancer, 9 lung cancers, one breast cancer and 6 ovarian cancers. This study will continue to go on for another 5 years.

Possible problems with the new multi cancer blood screening test

Researchers dubbed the cancer screening test as “liquid biopsies” with the purpose to detect hidden cancers. The smaller the cancer is, the less the cancer cells excrete DNA and cancer proteins into the bloodstream. This means that in some of the early cancer cases the sensitivity of the test could be very small. Because many cancers will be detected much earlier there could be definite cures, if the cancer is in an early stage. On the other hand, Dr. Nickolas Papadopoulos from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, said: “The issue is not overdiagnosis, but overtreatment.” Some of the small tumors may never turn into larger tumors and it is justified to observe for a period of time.

A large 5-year clinical study involving up to 50,000 women is the next project to test the CancerSEEK test further. A private philanthropic group, The Marcus Foundation, is funding this project.

New Multi Cancer Blood Screening Test

Conclusion

A new multi cancer blood screening test, the CancerSEEK test, is in development. It is based on a combination of various cancer markers. Researchers measure cancer DNA mutations and also cancer proteins. They also determine the tissue location of the cancer. Researchers did much work already in terms of sensitivity and specificity of the test. Physicians integrate the test further with conventional medical tests to confirm the location of the cancer. With breast cancer mammograms are the additional tests, with colorectal cancer colonoscopies. A large 5-year clinical study involving up to 50,000 women is the next project to test the CancerSEEK test further. In future the CancerSEEK test will become a routine screening test for cancer. The cost for one CancerSEEK test will be less than 500.00 USD. The hope is that cancer cures will improve due to earlier detection.

Dec

2019

The Use Of Oncolytic Viruses For Cancer Treatment

By Ray Schilling | Cancer, cervical cancer, immune system, prostate cancer, vaccinations

In the first place, preliminary experiments indicate that the use of oncolytic viruses for cancer treatment may become a reality. There are several lines of research that point to the fact that oncolytic viruses can make a difference in treating incurable cancer patients.

Notably, Canadian researchers had reported in 2011 that oncolytic viruses created by genetically modifying smallpox vaccine viruses would enter tumor cells of patients, but not damage normal cells. Specifically, a high percentage of the end stage patients responded with tumor regression.

Shortly after Mayo Clinic physicians were desperate when two patients with end stage multiple myeloma, a vicious bone tumor, did not respond to chemotherapy. Significantly, they tried something unconventional: high doses of the measles vaccine in an attempt to stimulate the immune system. Here is an overview from 2014 that shows that many different cancers respond to various immunological approaches.

Study from Holland regarding end stage melanoma patients

Here is a small human study involving end-stage melanoma patients treated with the oncolytic virus T-VEC combined with pembrolizumab (Keytruda). It is important to realize that Keytruda helps to reactivate a T-cell response to the cancer cells. In this case the cancer cells absorb the oncolytic virus (T-VEC), but it leaves normal cells alone. Inside the cancer cells the oncolytic virus multiplies and destroys the cancer cells. In this 2017 study 21 patients with terminal, nonresectable melanoma received treatment with T-VEC and Keytruda. Specifically, 62% of the patients showed an objective response to the treatment. Moreover, 33% fulfilled the criteria of an immune-related response. In the past terminal patients like these had a 0% response to radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

History of research about oncolytic viruses

To begin with, in 1912 rabies virus treatment against cervical carcinoma was a first attempt to treat cancer. Researchers conducted many experiments between 1950 and 1970 with wild type or naturally attenuated viruses. This included, for example, hepatitis A and B viruses. In 1991 cancer researchers developed the concept of genetically engineered oncolytic viruses. Today cancer researchers know that the protection mechanisms in most cancer cells have deficiencies. This involves the interferon‐beta signal pathway. Having said this, there is an opportunity to let oncolytic viruses destroy cancer cells, while normal cells stay unaffected. An oncolytic virus that cancer experts use in human cancers is the genetically engineered herpes simplex virus type I (HSV‐1). Others that cancer researchers developed have strange names like T‐Vec, G47∆, JX594, CG0070 and Reolysin.

Various cancers that researchers treated with oncolytic viruses

Here are a few examples of cancers where researchers used oncolytic viruses to exert a significant therapeutic effect.

Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is a deadly form of a brain tumor, which has a high rate of mortality. Researchers have investigated new avenues to treat this cancer. Researchers tested the genetically engineered dendritic vaccine. Initial clinical trials showed significant effectiveness compared to non-treated controls. In a large phase 3 clinical trial 331 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma received treatment at the time of neurosurgery with dendritic cell vaccine. 30.2% of the patients were still alive and doing well after 3 1/3 years. Without the added vaccination procedure all of these patients would have died in the past because of the aggressiveness of the glioblastoma.

Multiple myeloma

Researchers could cure multiple myeloma and other cancers by using the measles vaccine. Here is a report by the popular press about two women who had multiple myeloma. One woman got cured by high doses of a measles vaccine. The other women experienced some relief, but did not survive.

This publication explains that oncolytic viral therapy of cancer is a lot more complicated than originally thought.

Prostate cancer

Researchers found that vaccines against prostate cancer were effective with the combination of oncolytic virus therapy with regular anti-cancer treatments. But oncolytic virus therapy alone has a poorer prognosis than a combination of chemotherapy or radiotherapy with oncolytic virus therapy.

Cervical cancer

The high-risk HPV16 strain most often causes cervical cancer. The HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccine targets patients with previous exposure to HPV16. However, researchers have noticed that in some cases a phenomenon called the “HPV immune escape” has allowed in some vaccinated women to still develop cervical cancer. Now a group of researchers are investigating how the vaccine could be improved by finding out how the immune system is being tricked in these cases by the HPV virus to bypass the antibodies of the vaccine.

Pancreatic cancer

This cancer is very difficult to detect in the early stages, and as a result the outlook for chemotherapy or radiotherapy is extremely poor. Researchers have used several approaches as an alternative to conventional therapy. Immunotherapy is an option. Mayo clinic researchers have already announced that the measles vaccine approach will likely be applicable to pancreatic cancer treatment as well in the near future. However, other clinical trials are on the way to use alternative vaccination procedures.

Neuroblastoma, glioma and melanoma

This link shows that the FDA has accepted engineered oncolytic herpes virus (engineered to secrete GM-CSF) as a treatment against melanoma. Other approaches with engineered bacteria can affect neuroblastoma and glioma.

Survival data using oncolytic viruses for cancer treatment

Cancer researchers have completed a number of smaller clinical trials at this point. One of them describes end stage melanoma (stage III and IV) where the only treatment was with the oncolytic virus T‐Vec. The overall response rate compared to the control, which was only 5.7%, the experimental group with T-Vec was 26.4%. This is considered a good response rate given that we are dealing with end stage melanoma patients.

Mechanism of how oncolytic viruses stimulate the immune system to overcome various cancers

As mentioned above oncolytic viruses multiply in the cancer, once they have been incorporated. This leads to cancer cell death. It exposes the dead cancer tissue to the immune system. What helps in the process is that inhibitory proteins from the cancer cells that used to inhibit the immune system are no longer provided by the dead cancer cells. The end result is that the immune system mounts a formidable response against the cancer cells through killer T cells. This immune response also affects remote metastases of the same histological cancer type. This review article summarizes how oncolytic viruses work for cancer cell destruction and how this method can be combined with other treatment modalities.

The Use Of Oncolytic Viruses For Cancer Treatment

Conclusion

Currently various cancer centers are involved with clinical trials in humans to test the power of oncolytic viruses. What cancer researchers have learnt is that oncolytic viruses are a useful tool to kill cancer cells. But the immune system of cancer patients is in a suppressed state. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) is a medication that will stimulate the immune system by stimulating killer T cells to destroy cancer cells. The combined effect of killing cancer cells with oncolytic viruses and stimulating the immune system is the big news. This has been the breakthrough that cancer researchers have been waiting for. Now several clinical trials are on the way where survival rates for cancer patients given the new combination therapy are assessed.

Oncolytic virus therapy here to stay

It is a treatment which is no longer a thought model with animal experiments. Well known medical centers are using it in patients, and as the results become more obvious, it will very likely become a new treatment modality for cancer.

Aug

2019

The Best Ways To Prevent Cancer

By Ray Schilling | alcohol, andropause, breast cancer, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, coffee, Diabetes, diet, exercise, fiber, food, green tea, heart attack, Hormones, lifestyle, lung cancer, Menopause, Nutrition, Obesity, omega-3 fatty acids, Prevention, Processed food, prostate cancer, sleep, Smoking, Stroke, sugar, testosterone, Vitamins and supplements

Cancer is the second leading cause of death, that’s why it is important to learn about the best ways to prevent cancer. Generally speaking you want to remove cancer-producing substances (carcinogens) from your diet. But diet is only part of your lifestyle that can contribute to cancer. I shall list some of the more important dietary factors below and briefly touch on important other factors.

Avoid burning your meat

When you use the BBQ, you should avoid burning your meat. Even though the marks of “charring” are considered desirable on meat from the grill, this is really burnt! As a matter of fact it is a lot better to use a slow cooker at low heat and simply cook your food longer. This way you don’t create carcinogens. Avoiding to burn your meat is particularly important for the red meats.

Sugar and an overabundance of starchy foods can cause cancer

You never thought that sugar and an overabundance of starchy foods could cause cancer, but they do. The reason is that the metabolism of cancer cells is using 10- to 12-times more sugar than the metabolism of normal cells. The worst thing a cancer patient can do is to over-consume sugar. Replace sugar by stevia, which is a harmless, plant-based sweetener and does not lead to an insulin reaction. Avoid all other sugar substitutes, as there are other heath problems with most of them.

Avoid phthalates

Those who have a craving for macaroni and cheese are out of luck. This food contains phthalates that are part of the ingredients of almost every sample of cheese powder used to manufacture macaroni and cheese. Phthalates can cause infertility and breast cancer. So you must definitely avoid macaroni and cheese, at least the stuff from the box. Prepare your own!

A high fat diet

What does a high fat diet do? It increases the risk for breast cancer. But it can also increase colorectal cancer risk. Limit your fat intake to about 10% of saturated fat. That is the recommendation of the FDA. Increase your consumption of fish and seafood. Only one proviso: predator fish like shark, marlin, tilefish, swordfish and grouper are high in mercury. But wild salmon, sardines and oysters are low in mercury. You can also enjoy shrimps and prawns.

Take high dose vitamin D3 supplements

High dose vitamin D3 supplements help you to avoid cancer. There are strong statistics showing that vitamin D3 is a powerful tool to lower your risk of developing cancer. Your family doctor should take a blood test called 25-hydroxy vitamin D level to make sure that you absorb enough vitamin D3. There are slow and fast absorbers and the only thing to know how well your gut absorbs vitamin D3 is in doing this blood test.

Also, curcumin (turmeric) 500 mg once per day is good for cancer prevention.

Take enough fiber

Make sure you take enough fiber, which does not only reduce colorectal cancer, but also many other cancers. When you eat plant-based food, you automatically get fiber in it. North Americans are not consuming enough fiber in their diet.

Avoid processed meat and too much red meat consumption

Processed meat and red meat cause cancer.

Beef, lamb and pork seem to contribute to causing cancer according to the WHO. Use common sense and eat fish, chicken and turkey. Reduce your beef consumption. My grandmother served beef as a Sunday dish.The rest of the week simple, plant-based foods appeared on the table. Ask your grandmother, what she used to cook. Or ask your mother what she ate as a child.

Eat moderate amounts of fruit and vegetables

The claim that fruit and vegetables would protect you from cancer is not as solid as researchers thought of in the past. Newer research has shown that a basic intake of fruit and vegetables is needed for nutrients, but consuming more than that will NOT protect you from cancer.

This link explains that eating more vegetables or fruit beyond a certain point will not do harm, but will not protect you further from cancer.

Drink green tea or black tea

If you like tea, drink green tea or black tea. Sweeten it with stevia, but not with sugar. Tea has been shown to have cancer prevention properties.

Avoid alcohol consumption to prevent cancer.

Coffee is a healthy drink and it has mild anti-cancer effects as well. It does not matter whether you drink it caffeinated or decaffeinated.

Other lifestyle issues

Quit smoking

If you are still smoking, quit smoking! Smoking is by and large the biggest risk for developing lung cancer, throat cancer, esophageal cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Watch your calorie intake

Eat smaller meals more often. This way the production of your digestive juices will consume some calories. In addition your taste buds are satisfied, so your hunger for food is more controlled. The end result is that you will not gain weight.

Prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes

This will help prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes, both of which are established risk factors to develop cancer. Here is a review that shows you, which cancer types are caused by obesity. With regard to diabetes, there is a strong association to developing liver cancer, pancreatic cancer and endometrial cancer (=uterine cancer). There is a lesser risk (only 1.2 to 1.5-fold) to develop cancer of the colon and rectum, breast cancer and bladder cancer.

Pollution

Poor air quality with pollution can also be a factor in causing cancer. Pollution does not stay local, but travels through the stratosphere around the globe. The result is that now 10 to 15% of lung cancer in the US occurs in patients who never smoked. This translates into 16,000 to 24,000 deaths annually of never-smokers in the US. In certain cities such as Beijing lung cancer rates have doubled in 9 years between 2002 and 2011. Lung cancer in non-smokers can be caused from exposure to radon, to second-hand tobacco smoke, and other indoor air pollutants.

Bioidentical hormone replacement

When males do not replace missing testosterone in andropause they are much more prone to develop prostate cancer. Similarly, when women are menopausal and do not get progesterone supplementation, they develop a higher amount of breast cancer due to estrogen dominance. It follows from this that bioidentical hormone replacement in menopause and andropause will help to prevent prostate cancer and breast cancer.

The Best Ways To Prevent Cancer

Conclusion

There is strong evidence that certain foods can cause cancer. Other foods including supplements like curcumin and vitamin D3 can help prevent cancer. Basically, you want to avoid all that is known to cause cancer and eat more of the healthy foods that do not cause cancer. This will help to decline your cancer risk. I suggest that in addition you should quit smoking, avoid pollution as much as possible, reduce excessive alcohol intake and watch your calorie intake. By doing this you prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes, and you will move into the low-risk cancer group. We all need to work on this on an ongoing basis.

Practical hints regarding the best ways to prevent cancer

The best ways to prevent cancer is to avoid processed red meat and all other processed foods. Eat more vegetables, fruit, wild salmon and other seafood. Don’t eat red meat more often than once a week and make it red meat from grass fed animals. In addition exercise regularly, get enough sleep and practice some form of relaxation (yoga, Tai Chi, self-hypnosis etc.). This lifestyle will not only prevent heart attacks and strokes, but also the majority of cancers.

Previously published here.

Apr

2019

Some Reasons For Variations In Cancer Rates

By Ray Schilling | alcohol, breast cancer, Cancer, cervical cancer, exercise, Fitness, heart attack, leukemia, lung cancer, mitochondria, Nutrition, Obesity, prostate cancer, Smoking, sugar, telomeres

It can be confusing to see that various countries have big differences in cancer rates, but here I am giving some reasons for variations in cancer rates.

The following countries have high cancer rates: Denmark, France, Belgium, United States, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia.

These countries have low cancer rates: Niger, Yemen, Oman, Nepal, Mauritania, Gambia, Cape VerSe, Bhutan. These are only samples; it is not a complete list.

Short life expectancy in many low cancer rate countries

People in many low cancer rate countries do not live long lives because of parasitic infestations, bacterial infections and AIDS. Life expectancy in Gambia, for instance is only 61.15 years. People in Yemen suffer from malnutrition and the life expectancy is only 64.95 years. One can make an argument therefore that people do not live long enough to get a lot of cancer. Cancer is a disease of the older population, as DNA mutations, shorter telomeres, and loss of mitochondria in older cells cause many cancers.

These three countries have various cancer rates

Low cancer rates in India

India is one of the countries with lower cancer rates when compared to the US. Scientists have pointed out that 40% of Indians are consuming vegetarian diets without meat; (red meat consumed in high amounts like in the US is carcinogenic). India has some of the highest spice consumption in the world. We know that curcumin, for instance, has cancer-preventing qualities. You could say that Indians inadvertently treat themselves with herbal, non-toxic chemotherapy (curcumin and others spices) before a cancer even occurs. On the other hand India is a nation with high consumption of refined sugar, which is a factor that can cause cancer over a long period of time. The life expectancy in India is only 68.56 years, which skews the statistics towards lower cancer rates when one compares India to countries with a life expectancy of 80.0 years.

Why is Denmark a high cancer rate country?

The biggest factors are a reliable cancer reporting system, but also a high smoking rate among Danish women and high alcohol consumption in the Danish population. See below what these factors do.

Why is Oman a low cancer rate country?

A study done in Oman showed that a lot of people do not know that certain risk factors could be changed to lower the present cancer incidence. Cigarette smoking, passive smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, reduced intake of fruit and vegetables, increased consumption of red meat and processed meats, infection with HPV, being overweight, less physical activity and an age above 70 are all risk factors for cancer. At the present time Oman still compares favorably with the US, as there is less obesity in Oman. But the average person still eats fairly healthy with an emphasis on fruit and vegetables.

Increasing cancer rates in Oman

The cigarette consumption per year per person in Oman is 271.1 versus 1016.6 in the US. The life expectancy has increased from 50.47 in 1970 to 77.03 in 2016. Oman is expecting the cancer rate to double by the year 2030 due to the increasing life expectancy and lifestyle factors (more drinking, smoking and gaining weight from junk food). A lot of the differences in the cancer rates between the US and Oman are simply due to lifestyle differences.

Cancer risk factors analyzed

What do the various cancer risks mean in terms of cancer development?

Cigarette smoking

About 480,000 premature deaths are caused by cigarette smoking in the US. This is due to a combination of cancer, heart attacks and strokes. Smoking causes cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, cervix, colon, rectum, but also acute myeloid leukemia.

Passive smoking

Passive smoking is as bad, if not worse than smoking. This reference explains that a passive smoker has double exposure to cigarette smoke, namely to the smoke from the smoker, but also to the direct smoke from the burning cigarette. This means that a passive smoker may have exposure to a higher concentration of carcinogens than the smoker!

Excessive alcohol consumption

Heavy alcohol consumption introduces a cell poison into your body. If you drink more than 8 drinks per week as a woman or more than 15 drinks per week as a man, you are a heavy drinker. It leads to cancer of the mouth, esophagus, throat, colon, liver, breast and prostate. The data on prostate cancer is somewhat weaker.

Reduced intake of fruit and vegetables

Consumption of fruits and vegetables, but also foods high in fibre are known to reduce the risk of cancer. So, when you lower the intake of fruits and vegetables, you have less of a cancer protective effect, which leads to more cancer.

Increased consumption of red meat and processed meats

Another big factor about cancer causation is when you eat foods that contain known carcinogens. Such cancer causing substances are contained in red meat, processed meat like sausages, and salt-preserved foods.

Infection with HPV

Type 16 and 18 HPV virus is the cause of cervical cancer, penile cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, anal cancer, vulvar and vaginal cancer. It can be of concern for all sexually active people.

Being overweight

When a person gets overweight or obese, there is more estrogen production from the fat cells that circulate in your blood. There is also more insulin production and IGF-1 production, which is a growth factor for cancer cells. Estrogen dominance due to estrogen production from fat cells with a relative lack of cancer-controlling progesterone tips the balance towards cancer development. These are the cancers that are common in obesity: breast (in women past menopause), colon and rectum, endometrium (lining of the uterus), esophagus, kidneys and pancreas.

Less physical activity

Breast cancer and colon cancer are reduced when people exercise regularly. This seems to be because of a reduction in circulating estrogen in women and because of reduced insulin and insulin-like growth factors. Even prostate cancer can be kept at bay with a regular brisk walk.

An age above 70

The medium age for cancer diagnosis is 66 years. This means that half of the cases are below this age, the other half above it. 25% of new cancer cases are diagnosed in the age group of 65 to 74. Age is an independent, but important risk factor for the development of cancer.

Sugar and starchy food consumption

Refined sugar and starchy foods lead to an accumulation of fat. At the same time there is a metabolic change with more insulin production and growth factors appear in the blood. It is these growth factors and an increase in estrogen (via aromatase) from the fat cells that lead to conditions that favor cancer development. Switch to a low-glycemic diet like a Mediterranean diet, and you can reverse this process.

Some Reasons For Variations In Cancer Rates

Conclusion

It is never too late to reduce your cancer risk. No matter how old we are, it is never too late to live healthier, which translates into a stronger immune system. We can stop smoking, or cut out drinking too much. If we keep a healthy weight and eat a healthy diet we will stop chronic inflammation in our bodies and strengthen our immune system. We need to stay away from ultraviolet light (direct sun exposure). We also need to stay active, no matter whether it is choosing to take the stairs and take daily walks, or whether we exercise regularly in a gym.

Jul

2018

Frequent Flying Can Increase Cancer Rates

By Ray Schilling | breast cancer, Cancer, cervical cancer, Circadian rhythm, immune system, lung cancer, prostate cancer

A review article from June 25, 2018 discusses that frequent flying can increase cancer rates. A study showed that cancer of the breast, cervix, skin, thyroid and uterus are about twice as common in female stewardesses than in women at large. Also, gastrointestinal system cancers including cancer of the colon, stomach, esophagus, liver and pancreatic cancers are more common. This observation was true in both male and female flying personnel who engage in frequent flying. This publication comes from a scientific paper published on June 26, 2018.

Study of flight attendants

Patients from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) served as a control for flight attendants. This control group consisted of 2729 patients; they were of a similar socioeconomic status as the flight attendants. In contrast there were 5366 flight attendants with much higher cancer rates than normally expected. Specifically breast cancer had a 1.51-fold higher frequency than the control group. Melanoma had a frequency of 2.27-fold in comparison to controls, and non-melanoma cancers had a cancer rate of 4.09-fold when compared to controls. Non-melanoma cancer cases include basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.

Cancer rates in pilots

In a meta-analysis of various studies it became obvious that pilots had 20% more prostate cancer than a non-pilot control group. However their mortality was not higher than controls.

In an interesting study spanning over 60 years Icelandic airline pilots underwent an analysis for cancer development.

83 cancers were registered. The general population (non-pilots) served as controls. There was an increase of 2.42-fold for all cancers compared to controls. Prostate cancer was higher in these pilots by 2.57-fold. Malignant melanoma had a 9.88-fold increase in pilots in comparison to controls. The basal cell carcinomas in these pilots were 3.61-fold more common than the rates in the controls. With regard to basal cell carcinomas of the trunk there were 6.65-fold more of them in comparison to controls.

The difference between the pilots and the general population was likely due to the higher exposure to cosmic radiation. This is what the authors concluded.

How does cancer develop?

There are several ways cancer can develop. One of the known cancer causations is ionizing radiation. We know a lot about this from the atom bombs of WWII in Japan. There were many more thyroid cancers in children than were normal following the dropping of the atom bombs.

But diagnostic CT scans and X-rays are not without risk of cancer development either. There is a lag period of 10 to 20 years and even longer. But after this time the higher cancer rate becomes measurable. A person who had a CT scan done as a diagnostic test in childhood will still have a 25% higher cancer rate 15 years later. This is how powerful radiation of the DNA of our cells is despite inherent repair mechanisms that fight back to keep things normal.

Single cancers versus multiple cancers

It is interesting that female stewardesses and male pilots came down with a mix of various cancers. There were skin cancers, breast cancers, cancers of the prostate and many gastrointestinal cancers. The numbers were not big enough to show statistical significance for leukemia also being a likely cause of cancer from cosmic radiation.

If cosmic radiation was going through the body randomly hitting various DNA strands in all cell types, which could explain why a random number of cancers develop in those cells that got the highest exposure. The ones who got above average cancer were stewardesses and pilots who were longest on their jobs. A variety of cancers would develop from various tissues. This is exactly what the studies have shown. Radiation exposure following the Fukushima disaster led to thousands of thyroid cancers.

There are frequent flyers like business travelers and vacation seeking retirees who will also be at a higher risk of developing cancer. The more they fly, the higher the risk.

Other causes of cancer

Cosmic radiation is only one cause of cancer. There are many other causes of cancer. If you smoke heavily or abuse alcohol this can cause genetic mutations of cells that can develop into cancer. There is a pathway to cancer, which consists of initiation, promotion and progression. After those initial hurdles the cancer cell will multiply and start metastasizing into other areas of the body.

Carcinogens can damage the DNA of cells. In the case of pollution carcinogens enter the body through the air. But consuming processed meat and red meat has a proven link to cancer development as well, namely colon cancer.

Diverse factors all can cause cancer

Chronic inflammation from chronic infections is also carcinogenic. Chronic gastritis is caused by H. pylori. After years of infection with this pathogen stomach cancer can develop. Hepatitis viruses that are chronically present in liver cells can be the cause of liver cancer. Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the cause for the development of cancer of the cervix. The majority of cancer is caused from the environment or by poor life styles. Only 5 to 10% of cancers are inherited.

Tumor suppressor genes are important in terms of resisting the development of cancer. The TP53 gene produces a protein that interferes with the multiplication of cancer cells. Cancer cells in turn can produce a protein that interferes with TP53 function. The end result is that it will interfere with the body’s immune system to produce killer T cells. This way the cancer has the upper hand. There are some herbs that have shown anti-cancer effects, such as curcumin. https://www.askdrray.com/curcumin-and-cancer/. As I explain in this blog, there are absorption problems with curcumin presently. It is not yet primetime for curcumin, but it could be once the absorption problems are overcome. Nevertheless the research surrounding curcumin is interesting.

Frequent Flying Can Increase Cancer Rates

Conclusion

Several interesting studies have shown that stewardesses, pilots and frequent airplane travellers have a higher risk of developing cancer. Research groups have been careful to control these studies for lifestyle factors and other causes of cancer. Exposure to cosmic radiation is the common culprit that is behind this cancer causation. There was a multitude of cancers rather than one single type of cancer in pilots and stewardesses. This makes it more plausible that it is indeed cosmic radiation that caused the cancer increase. But cancer development is complex, and I have summarized this briefly here. It is important to be aware of all the possible causes of cancer. This allows you to minimize your exposure to carcinogens. We all get exposure to carcinogens from pollution. In addition we get exposure to cosmic radiation according to how much time we spend flying to holiday destinations or on business trips. Be safe and be informed!

Mar

2018

Foods That Can Protect You From Cancer

By Ray Schilling | alcohol, breast cancer, Cancer, diet, fiber, fish oil, food, lifestyle, lung cancer, Nutrition, Processed food, prostate cancer

There are foods that can protect you from cancer. Generally speaking you want to remove cancer-producing substances from your diet. But diet is only part of your lifestyle that can contribute to cancer. I will list some of the more important dietary factors below and briefly also touch on important other factors.

Avoid burning your meat

When you use the BBQ, avoid burning your meat. As a matter of fact it is a lot better to use a slow cooker at low heat, and cook the meat for a longer time. In this way you won’t create carcinogens, which are cancer-producing chemicals. Healthy Grilling Tips to Minimize Carcinogens in Your Food. This is particularly important for the red meats (like beef, lamb, bison or pork).

Sugar can cause cancer

You never thought that sugar and an overabundance of starchy foods can cause cancer, but they do. What is the reason for this? The answer is found in the metabolism of cancer cells. Cancer cells use 10- to 12-times more sugar for their metabolism than normal cells. Over-consuming sugar is the worst thing a cancer patient can do. Replace sugar by stevia, which is a harmless sweetener. It does not lead to an insulin reaction. You need to avoid all other sugar substitutes as there are other health problems associated with them.

Avoid macaroni and cheese because of phthalates

Avoid macaroni and cheese: Phthalates are found in almost every sample of cheese powder used to manufacture macaroni and cheese. Phthalates can cause infertility and breast cancer. Toxic effects of the easily avoidable phthalates and parabens.

High fat diet

A high fat diet increases the risk for breast cancer: High-Fat Diet Increases Breast Cancer Risk, Study Finds. Limit your fat intake to about 10% of saturated fat. That is the recommendation of the FDA: New FDA Food Guidelines – Medical Articles by Dr. Ray. Increase your consumption of fish and seafood. Only one proviso: predator fish like shark, marlin, tilefish, swordfish and grouper are high in mercury. But wild salmon, sardines and oysters are low in mercury; so are shrimp and squid. Before You Buy Fish, Check This Mercury Level List.

Take high dose vitamin D3 supplements

In order to avoid cancer, take high dose vitamin D3 supplements to avoid cancer. Vitamin D3 in cancer prevention and therapy: the nutritional issue. Strong statistics exist showing that vitamin D3 is a powerful tool to lower your risk of developing cancer. Your family doctor should take a blood test called 25-hydroxy vitamin D level to monitor that you absorb enough vitamin D3. Some people absorb vitamin D3 slowly and fast absorbers absorb it more rapidly. The only way how to find out how well your gut is absorbing vitamin D3, is by doing this blood test. It is now generally accepted that a good range of the 25-hydroxy vitamin D level is between 50 and 80 ng/ml.

Also curcumin 500 mg per day is good for cancer prevention. Turmeric | Cancer in general | Cancer Research UK.

Take enough fiber

Make sure you take enough fiber, which does not only reduce colorectal cancer, but also many other cancers. Foods for Cancer Prevention. North Americans are not consuming enough fiber. Vitamin D3 in cancer prevention and therapy: the nutritional issue.

Avoid processed meat

The World Health Organization has determined that processed meat is causing a lot of cancer. They labeled processed meat as a probable carcinogen. Processed meat causes colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer.

Moderate amounts of fruit and vegetables

Eat moderate amounts of fruit and vegetables. The claim in the past that fruit and vegetables would protect you from cancer is not as solid as it was thought of in the past. Newer research has shown that a basic intake of fruit and vegetables is needed for essential nutrients, but consuming more than that will NOT protect you from cancer. Fruit and vegetables and cancer risk. This is a case where eating more vegetables or fruit beyond a certain point will not do harm, but it will not protect you further from cancer.

Drink green tea or black tea

Drink green tea or black tea, sweetened with stevia for cancer prevention: Winter Beverages for Cancer Prevention. Green tea contains polyphenols and antioxidants. One of the antioxidants is called catechin, which prevents cell damage. The antioxidants help to prevent breast cancer, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer. In addition tea is heart healthy.

Avoid alcohol consumption

Avoid alcohol consumption as much as possible to prevent cancer: Drinking Alcohol Really Does Raise Your Cancer Risk, Doctors Warn. We were indoctrinated by cardiologists that one glass of wine per day for women and two glasses of wine per day for men would be a prevention against heart attacks. But these relatively small amounts of alcohol do have an effect on causing cancer. This British study showed that small amounts of alcohol indeed are cardioprotective. In contrast, these amounts and higher alcohol amounts can also cause cancer of the pharynx, larynx (voice box), esophagus, liver, breast, colon and pancreas.

Avoid too much red meat consumption

Beef, lamb and pork probably contribute to causing cancer according to the WHO. Use common sense, and eat more fish, chicken and turkey. Reduce your beef consumption. My grandmother said when I grew up in Germany that beef was a meal reserved for Sunday dinner only. The rest of the days we ate little in the way of meats, but lentils, beans, eggs or fish instead. Ask your grandmother, what she used to cook. Or ask your mother what she ate as a child.

Other lifestyle issues

Quit smoking, if you still do. This is by and large the biggest risk for developing lung cancer, throat cancer, esophageal cancer and pancreatic cancer. Watch your calorie intake: eat smaller meals more often. This way the production of your digestive juices will consume some calories and because you satisfied your hunger for foods, you will not gain weight. This will help prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes, both of which are established risks for developing cancer. Here is a review that shows you, which cancer types are caused by obesity: Obesity and Cancer . With regard to diabetes, there is a strong association with developing liver cancer, pancreas cancer and endometrial cancer (=uterine cancer). There is a lesser risk (only 1.2 to 1.5-fold) to develop colorectal cancer, breast cancer and bladder cancer. Diabetes and Cancer: A consensus report.

Pollution can also be a factor in causing cancer: How air pollution can cause cancer. If you can move to a less polluted city, do so.

Foods That Can Protect You From Cancer

Conclusion

As shown above there is strong evidence that certain foods can cause cancer. Others, including supplements like curcumin and vitamin D3, can help prevent cancer. If we avoid as many of the known cancer producing foods and eat more of the healthy foods that do not cause cancer, our cancer risk will decline significantly. In addition, if you quit smoking, avoid pollution as much as possible, reduce your alcohol intake and watch your calorie intake to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes, you will move into the low-risk cancer group. We all need to work on this on an ongoing basis.

Jun

2017

Prostate Cancer Treatment Is Often Inadequate

By Ray Schilling | Cancer, prostate cancer

Prostate cancer treatment is often inadequate when you follow the advice of conventional physicians. The gold standard for prostate cancer treatment is a radical prostatectomy. Below I am explaining that this often leads to recurrences of prostate cancer in the order of 25 to 35% when physicians follow patients for up to 10-years. There is, however, another method of diagnosing and treating prostate cancer, which reduces the recurrence rate to only 6% at 10 years of follow-up. I will first explain the process of the initial assessment of prostate cancer, and then describe different treatment modalities.

Which prostate cancer biopsy method is superior?

Standard biopsy method

The standard biopsy method consists of 6 to 16 random biopsies via the transrectal approach. However, this approach has two downfalls. One is the danger of infection. The rectum is full of E. coli bacteria, which then can spread into the bloodstream. This can cause septicemia in 1 out of 200 biopsies, which is a medical emergency. The treatment consists of with high doses of antibiotics. The second problem is that the standard biopsy method misses 25 to 35% of prostate cancers. But it may take up to 10 years to show up as a prostate cancer recurrence. A careful study by the John Hopkins University, Cleveland, OH still showed a 23% recurrence after 10 years. Conventional specialists tend to downplay this long-term risk, but all of the publications that I have reviewed in my book show similar poor long-term results.

3-dimensional mapping biopsy

The interventional radiologist, Dr. Gary Onik from Ft. Lauderdale, invented the 3-dimensional mapping biopsy. In this case the specialist inserts needles through a brachytherapy grid over the perineum, the skin between the scrotum and the anus. The physician disinfects the area thoroughly, which eliminates the risk of infection with placement of the needles. The patient is under a general anesthetic, and the specialist inserts between 60 and 90 biopsy needles through the perineum into the prostate gland depending on the prostate gland size. The physician probes the entire prostate gland using biopsy needles, and this procedure does not miss any area of cancer. The surgeon can observe the procedure through a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) probe. He labels the biopsies carefully and keeps track of them, so he can enter the results from the pathologist on a map, (hence the name mapping biopsy).

Better resolution with 3-dimensional biopsies versus TRUS guided rectal biopsies

The end result is like a geographical image of the areas where tests picked up prostate cancer. It is a computer generated ultrasound image of the patient’s prostate gland with overlaying histology results. Because of the higher number of biopsy needles used with mapping biopsies the resolution is much better in comparison to the TRUS guided rectal biopsies. It also tells the treating physician exactly the location of the cancer, which is important, if there is a plan to treat with ablative cryotherapy. Dr. Onik has published a 10-year follow-up of 70 prostate cancer patients treated in this way. 100% of the prostate cancer patients who had cryotherapy survived. 94% were completely free from any recurring prostate cancer. 6% had recurrent disease. These kinds of statistics are unheard of with other treatment modalities. The patients’ ages were between 45 and 77 years at the time of surgery.

My own personal experience with prostate cancer

As I have explained in my book entitled “Prostate Cancer Unmasked”, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2016. An elevation of my blood PSA (prostate specific antigen) tests started the search for the optimal prostate cancer treatment. I started reviewing the medical literature to see what was the most optimal survival with the least possible side effects. This is how I came across the name of Dr. Gary Onik who has been a pioneer of prostate cancer research for decades. The extremely low prostate cancer relapse data after 10 years of follow-up impressed me. I decided to receive a treatment by him in Ft. Lauderdale, FLA. I had the 3-D prostate biopsy involving 96 biopsy needles (due to an enlarged prostate gland, called prostate hypertrophy).

Ablation cryotherapy

One month later he treated me with ablation cryotherapy, which is the equivalent of a lumpectomy for breast cancer in women. Since then (Aug. 17, 2016) my 3 monthly PSA levels have stayed extremely low meaning that there is no recurrence of prostate cancer. I also have tested negative using the Oncoblot test, an extremely sensitive cancer test that had been positive prior to the prostate cancer surgery.

Combination treatment with ablation cryotherapy and IRE surgery

Dr. Onik told me that he wanted to use two procedures simultaneously in my case to treat my lesions optimally. His concern was the neurovascular bundles that cross through the outer aspect of each lobe of the prostate to the penis. The ablation cryotherapy could destroy them, if he came too close to them, which would result in sexual problems. On the other hand he needed to treat the prostate cancer until all of the cancer cells were dead. The surface antigens would still be intact and would stimulate my immune system to destroy any remaining prostate tumor cells. Dr. Onik has done extensive research regarding the immune response in prostate cancer patients and he was working on a publication in end-stage cancer patients.

There was a second procedure, FDA approved 4 years ago, namely IRE surgery.

IRE surgery

Another technique pioneered by Dr. Onik is the NanoKnife or irreversible electroporation (IRE surgery).

This is another tumor ablation method using high voltage electrical impulses that put nano-sized holes into cancer cells, but not into surrounding healthy tissue.

Dr. Onik has been pioneering this procedure on prostate cancer patients, but he has also shown in liver cancer that these methods can double the survival rates, compared to conventional treatment methods. This method kills cancer cells, and the released surface antigens of cancer cells stimulate the immune system to further the healing. The interesting finding in Dr. Onik’s past research regarding the IRE surgery showed that the neurovascular bundle shows no damage from the IRE surgery within the prostate. With the two lesions in my right prostate lobe Dr. Onik wanted to use mainly IRE surgery, because they were in closer proximity to the neurovascular bundle.

Summary regarding mapping biopsy and prostate surgery

There are several points that impressed me with ablation cryotherapy.

Mapping biopsy

It starts with the mapping biopsy, which gives an exact histological picture of any prostate cancer in your prostate. This provides the roadmap for the surgeon to treat any lesions within the prostate with ablation cryotherapy that the biopsy located. During the biopsies there is transrectal ultrasound guidance (TRUS) using a rectal probe. This helps to locate the cancer 3- dimensionally.

Ablation cryotherapy

Like the mapping biopsy the physician does the ablation cryotherapy under general anesthetic. He treats the same lesions from the mapping biopsy with special Argon sounds, and temperature probes measure the temperature to make sure that the freezing action was long enough to destroy the tumor. This is repeated one more time to be certain that all cancer cells are killed.

IRE or also called NanoKnife

For cancer lesions too close to the neurovascular bundle to be removed with cryotherapy, the surgeon can use the alternative, IRE or also called NanoKnife. It had been researched in dogs and later in humans that it will eradicate cancer cells, but not normal cells. It also does not attack the neurovascular bundle. Between the two procedures the entire cancer within the prostate can be removed safely.

Erectile dysfunction is only temporary

This means that the side effects are much less than with conventional prostate surgery. The erectile dysfunction is only temporary for 3 to 5 months, but Cialis and/or Viagra can be titrated to achieve normal sex until your own erections come back. There is no effect on the rectum and no sign of bladder leakage. Problems urinating are only temporary in the beginning and can be overcome with self-catheterization or with an indwelling catheter for a period of time. The end result is that the patient is back to normal, and the prostate cancer is removed.

Prostate Cancer Treatment Is Often Inadequate

Conclusion

I compared all of the other prostate cancer procedures to ablation cryotherapy. My conclusion was that ablation cryotherapy was the best solution for me. It is straightforward, cancer specific and works with the least amount of damage to the normal surrounding tissue. The 10-year survival was 100% with a tumor free rate of 94%. There is another advantage: anytime there is a PSA elevation in the follow-up blood tests, the mapping biopsy can be repeated. If there is a recurrent cancer, the treating physician can repeat the ablation cryotherapy again.

Reference: https://www.amazon.com/Prostate-Cancer-Unmasked-Ray-Schilling/dp/1542880661

Mar

2017

Obesity And Diabetes Can Cause Cancer

By Ray Schilling | breast cancer, Cancer, Diabetes, Fitness, Inflammation, Nutrition, Obesity, prostate cancer, Vitamins and supplements

Dr. Nalini Chilkov gave a talk about how obesity and diabetes can cause cancer. The original title was “Integrative Cancer Care, Increased Rates of Cancer and Cancer Mortality Associated with Obesity and Insulin Resistance, Nutraceutical and Botanical Interventions”. She presented her talk at the 24^th Annual World Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine (Dec. 9-11, 2016) in Las Vegas that I attended.

In the following I will present a brief summary of her lecture.

Obesity is a major risk factor for cancer

Obesity causes 14% of all cancer deaths in men and 20% of cancer deaths in women. This link explains this in more detail. The following 15 cancers related to obesity in terms of causation. They are: colon cancer, gastric cancer, gallbladder cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, rectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, renal cancer, multiple myeloma and esophageal cancer.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology reported about a meta-analysis involving 82 studies. This involved more than 200,000 women with breast cancer. The researchers compared premenopausal and postmenopausal women who were obese or normal weight. Premenopausal, obese breast cancer women had a 75% increase in mortality compared to the normal weight breast cancer group. In comparison with the normal weight group the postmenopausal group of obese breast cancer women showed a 34% increase of mortality.

With obese prostate cancer patients there is a similar observation. Obese patients have a more aggressive prostate cancer on the Gleason score and the cancer is in a more advanced stage at the time of diagnosis.

Diabetes increases mortality from cancer

Obesity is a common risk factor for both cancer and diabetes. But diabetes by itself is also increasing mortality of several cancers. In a consensus report details of the relationship between cancer and diabetes have been discussed in detail. The following cancers have been identified to have an increased risk of diabetes: pancreatic, gastric, esophageal, colorectal, liver, gallbladder, breast, ovarian, endometrial, cervical, urinary bladder, renal, multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

A meta-analysis suggests that cancer patients who are diabetic have a 1.41-fold increased risk of dying compared to those cancer patients who have normal blood sugars. Dr. Chilkov explained in detail what the various mechanism are that account for the faster cancer growth in obese and diabetic patients. High insulin levels is one of the risk factors, so is IGF-1, an insulin-like growth factor. The aromatase enzyme in fatty tissue turns male type hormones into estrogen, which also can stimulate cancer growth.

Carbohydrate restriction diet to prevent obesity

Low carb diets like the Mediterranean diet, the ketogenic diet and the Atkins diet will drop blood insulin and lactate levels. Cancer size and cancer growth are related to insulin and lactate levels. A low carb diet can reduce insulin-mediated uptake of sugar into cancer cells.

Research has shown that cancer metabolism slows down when a 10%-20% carb/high protein diet is consumed by the patient. This reduces the amount of sugar that is taken up by cancer cells. It also reduces insulin, so there is less cancer growth. A ketogenic diet is a more strict way to restrict carbohydrates. Intermittent fasting is also a useful method to reduce carbohydrate intake.

Here is an interesting study that illustrates the power of intermittent fasting. The study involved 2413 patients with early breast cancer who were followed for 7 years. Those breast cancer patients, who consistently did not eat anything between dinner and breakfast for 13 hours or more, had a 36% lower risk of having a cancer recurrence. There was also a 21% lower risk of dying from breast cancer when fasting was done for 13 hours or more overnight.

Supplements to prevent obesity, diabetes and cancer

A low carb diet and in some cases even a ketogenic diet is beneficial as a baseline. A regular exercise program is also useful for general fitness building and cardiovascular strengthening. In addition Dr. Chilkov recommended the following supplements.

To reduce inflammation in the body, Dr. Chilkov recommended taking 2000 to 6000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per day (molecularly distilled fish oil).
Berberine 500 to 1000 mg three times daily. Dr. Chilkov said that Berberine has anti-cancer properties, improves insulin sensitivity and reduces absorption of sugars in the intestinal tract.
Curcumin inhibits cancer cell division, invasion and metastatic spread through interaction with multiple cell signalling proteins. Several researchers showed that curcumin could lower blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin production from beta cells in the pancreas. Triglycerides, leptins and inflammation in fat cells are also lowered by curcumin. Insulin sensitivity increases through the action of curcumin. Dr. Chilkov recommended 300 mg/day of curcumin for 3 months.
Resveratrol, the bioflavonoid from red wine is a powerful anti-inflammatory. This antioxidant has several other effects, which make it challenging to measure each effect by itself. This group of investigators managed to simultaneously measure these effects. They found that resveratrol lowered the C-reactive protein by 26% and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by 19.8%. Resveratrol also decreased fasting blood sugar and insulin; in addition it reduced hemoglobin A1C and insulin resistance. The recommended daily dose of resveratrol is 1000 to 5000 mg.
Green tea catechins (EGCG) help to normalize the glucose and insulin metabolism. The dosage recommended was 1-3 grams per day.
Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) contain polysaccharides with antidiabetic and antiobesity effects. They make gut bacteria produce three types of short-chain fatty acids that control body weight and insulin sensitivity.

Obesity And Diabetes Can Cause Cancer

Conclusion

Obesity is a risk factor not only for diabetes, but also for cancer. Chronically elevated blood sugars, increased fasting insulin levels and increased IGF1 levels can cause cancer. In addition they can stimulate tumor growth and increase cancer mortality. It is for this reason that the health care provider should screen all diabetics for cancer. In her talk Dr. Nalini Chilkov gave clear guidelines what supplements will be beneficial to reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes as well as cancer. Start with a healthy, balanced diet. Add an exercise program. Then consider some of the above-mentioned supplements to reduce your risk for cancer, diabetes and obesity.

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