In The News

Well-Done Meat Consumption May Increase Prostate Cancer Risk
Research into the dietary habits of about a thousand men from the Cleveland area has found that a high consumption of meats, especially of red meat prepared by grilling, is positively associated with an increased risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. This particular study, which was led by Dr. John Witte of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), has a number of limitations, but it does add support to other investigations connecting meat consumption with cancer risk.

Toronto researchers speculate regarding a link between prostate cancer and oral contraceptive use
Very preliminary and speculative research, designed to spark further inquires, suggests that there may be a connection between oral contraceptive use and rising rates of prostate cancer. One theory is that the widespread use of birth-control pills in various populations may result in a higher level of estrogen in the environment, which might, in turn, increase prostate cancer risk.

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Internet Research Tips

1/24/2011

The Internet enables men with prostate cancer to become knowledgeable about this disease and involved in their treatment and lifestyle decisions like never before. But there is so much information available that finding what you need and deciding on its usefulness and credibility is often very complicated.

Asking these questions will help you assess the credibility of particular websites:

Who is the owner of this domain? Credible websites clearly indicate who owns and manages the site (and whether that entity is private or public, profit or non-profit), the physical location of this organization (including contact information), and the purpose or mission of the organization.
Does the site distinguish advertisements from news/information and identify sponsors?
Are the site's sources of information listed, and are these sources credible (e.g., articles from peer-reviewed scientific journals or original material from experts)?
Is the site updated regularly to delete or revise outdated or incorrect material?
Does the site have a privacy policy, and is this policy easy to find and understand?

USEFUL SITES
For your convenience, useful websites have been arranged according to the following subjects: treatment decisions, clinical trials, side effects, research, and medical journals. But be sure to see our revised "Links" page.

Treatment Decisions
Of course, treatment decisions should be based on the expert advice of doctors and other medical professionals. Sometimes, however, men and their families want to know as much as they can about the reasons behind this advice.

Two exceptionally useful Internet documents provide considerable information about the various treatment protocols most usually recommended by doctors. Both are from the National Cancer Institute, an American federal agency responsible for cancer research, training, and information dissemination. One document, the Prostate Cancer PDQ® on Treatment is geared toward health professionals; the PDQ® stands for physician directed query. But those who have a background in science or who are not put off by academic or technical language may also find it useful. There is also a patient version of this document. Both documents provide general information about prostate cancer, a treatment option overview, and detailed information on treatment options by cancer stage. Remember, though, that these treatment protocols are designed in the United States for Americans.

In Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society provides an overall introduction to the diagnosis and treatment of various cancers, and there are many sites specifically geared to offering men current information on all aspects of prostate cancer, its prevention, and its treatment. For a good start, see the information provided by the Prostate Cancer Canada Network (just click on the "Prostate Cancer" button) or visit the linked Prostate Cancer Canada site.

Clinical Trials
Again, discussing clinical trials with your medical team is essential. Doctors can help you determine which trial, if any, might be best for you. Becoming involved in a clinical trial can offer some advantages, beyond the most important one of participating in research that may one day provide a cure. For example, those involved in clinical trials may have access to new methods of monitoring. One comprehensive US website, ClinicalTrials.gov, lists American, Canadian, and international clinical trials by disease or condition, by sponsor or funding organization, and by recruitment status (i.e., whether the study is closed or still recruiting).

For Canadian clinical trials, consult the Canadian Cancer Trials site or the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group website Again, the information is designed by and for health professionals, so it is not always easily accessible. (For example, prostate cancer trials are usually listed under the heading “genito-urinary.”) Another useful site is OntarioCancerTrials.ca.

Side Effects
Various organization in Canada provide information and support to people coping with the potential short- or long-term side effects of cancer treatment. Of the most interest to the prostate cancer community are the Canadian Continence Foundation and the Canadian Erectile Difficulties Resource Centre.

Research
Many prostate cancer survivors wish to keep up to date on the various medical advances related to the disease. A helpful site for those interested in prostate cancer research findings is the Prostate Cancer Research Institute. This American-based site offers a digest of recent articles related to prostate cancer research called “General Prostate Cancer News”; a free newsletter called PRCI Insights, which presents fully referenced medical articles on new data and developments; and a series of PCRI Papers written by health professionals, on everything from local and systemic treatments to nutrition and self-empowerment.

In Canada, Prostate Cancer Canada and the Prostate Cancer Canada Network provide similar services. Explore our "In the News" and "PCCN news" pages.

Medical Journals
For those who wish to go beyond the headlines or to search for the actual medical reports on which those headlines are built, PubMed®/MEDLINE® is the answer. MEDLINE® is the premier bibliographic database covering the fields of medicine, nursing, and the health care system. It contains bibliographic citations and author abstracts (brief article summaries) from more than 5,000 biomedical journals. (Sometimes these abstracts give you enough information, but, to see the complete articles or reports, you need to find them in a library or research facility.)

For a more comprehensive list of websites that PCCN members have found useful, visit our Links page.

And happy researching!