Prostate Cancer Canada Network

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.

Click For Information Archive

Prevention

Prevention, as PCCN understands it, has three parts. The part most are familiar with is about individual men making healthy choices, so as to reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer. Another, however, is about promoting policies that advance human health, so our society and our environment support the healthy choices men make, and prostate cancer rates decrease. Still another is about preventing deaths from prostate cancer through encouraging men to seek (and health professionals to provide) medical care that will catch prostate cancer early.

Because prostate cancer is a disease that occurs at the level of the cell, any action that helps to keep our cells reproducing in a healthy way or that shields them from toxins is a protective measure. Of course, our environment and our bodies are very complicated, and the interaction of the two is even more complex. So doctors can’t always explain why some men get prostate cancer and others don’t, or why some do better than others when they are diagnosed with the disease. Also, some aspects of a man’s body (his genes, for example) are beyond direct control, as are other factors such as what chemicals or stresses he may have encountered in his life. Still, a growing body of evidence suggests that a good diet and a healthy style of life help to protect men against prostate cancer and that regular medical checkups enable timely diagnosis of prostate cancer and early, life-saving treatment.