Andreas Moritz
See book keywords and concepts |
 According to a number of studies, more men who are screened with the psa (prostate-specific-antigen) screening test die from prostate cancer compared to those who are not tested. A recent editorial in the British Medical Journal sized up the value of the psa test with this comment: "At present the one certainty about psa testing is that it causes harm." A high enough positive psa test is typically followed by a prostate biopsy - a painful procedure that can result in bleeding and infection. Recent evidence suggests that a large number of these biopsies are completely unnecessary. |
Benjamin H. Natelson, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Although standard medical texts (and insurance companies) do not endorse using psa as a screen for prostate cancer, it is well known that patients with prostate cancer often have elevated levels of psa. So when the pilot's psa rose from normal levels of 1.1 and 1.6 in prior years to 3.9, he became concerned. His doctor told him not to worry since the levels still were within normal limits, but the pilot said he wanted his prostate gland biopsied. This was done, and a tiny area of malignancy was found. |
Andreas Moritz
See book keywords and concepts |
| In fact, doctors at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) in Seattle estimated that psa screening may result in an over-diagnosis rate of more than 40 percent. To make matters worse, a disturbing new study finds that fully 15% of older men whose psa readings were considered perfectly normal had prostate cancer - some even with relatively advanced tumors.
There is a much more reliable test than psa. The less well-known AMAS (Anti-Malignin Antibody Screening) blood test is very safe, inexpensive, and more than 95% accurate at detecting cancer of any type. |
| In a 2003 study undertaken by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, researchers found that half of the men found to have psa levels high enough to be recommended for a biopsy had follow-up tests with normal psa levels. In fact, doctors at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) in Seattle estimated that psa screening may result in an over-diagnosis rate of more than 40 percent. |
Benjamin H. Natelson, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
| Although standard medical texts (and insurance companies) do not endorse using psa as a screen for prostate cancer, it is well known that patients with prostate cancer often have elevated levels of psa. So when the pilot's psa rose from normal levels of 1.1 and 1.6 in prior years to 3.9, he became concerned. His doctor told him not to worry since the levels still were within normal limits, but the pilot said he wanted his prostate gland biopsied. This was done, and a tiny area of malignancy was found. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Although Soy consumption was significant enough to reduce serum cholesterol and oxidized low-density lipoprotein concentration, no effect on psa values were seen (Jenkins et al, 2003).
Treatment with isolated Soy protein (ISP) beverages in 34 elderly men (>55 years) with elevated psa (> 4 nanogram/ milliliter) had no effect on either psa or p 105 (pro-oncogene) in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study (Urban et al, 2001). |
Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Yearly psa to measure change (the change in psa over time is a better predictor than the absolute number).
3. Colon: colonoscopy starting at age fifty, then every ten years, with additional screening (such as a hemoccult test, which measures blood in the stool) every five years.
4. Cervical: yearly Pap test starting at age twenty-one, or three years after sexual activity starts. Women without uteruses should still have pelvic exams because of vaginal cancers and ovarian issues.
5. Skin cancer: yearly check at every age by someone who is comfortable examining your whole body. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Recently, a study was presented in San Antonio at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting in which forty-eight men who had been treated for prostate cancer through surgery or radiation drank 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily-Drinking the juice significantly lengthened the amount of time it took for the men's average psa to double (PSA is a marker for prostate cancer). The juice didn't stop the progression of the disease, but it definitely lengthened the time it took to develop, indicating that there may be chemicals in the juice that have some cancer-fighting benefits. |
Andreas Moritz
See book keywords and concepts |
| To make matters worse, a disturbing new study finds that fully 15% of older men whose psa readings were considered perfectly normal had prostate cancer - some even with relatively advanced tumors.
There is a much more reliable test than psa. The less well-known AMAS (Anti-Malignin Antibody Screening) blood test is very safe, inexpensive, and more than 95% accurate at detecting cancer of any type. |
Bottom Line Health
See book keywords and concepts |
| An elevated psa level doesn't necessarily mean that cancer is present, but it can indicate the need for a biopsy.
Yet now, after years of use, experts disagree about whether men should receive routine psa testing. Some medical groups, such as the American Urological Society and the American Cancer Society, advocate annual screening for all men age 50 and older—and starting at age 40 or 45 for men at high risk (African-Americans and men who have a family history of the disease). |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
See article keywords and concepts |
 Why do you think they're still using psa tests for prostate cancer, even though the very inventor of the psa test announced in late 2004 that the test was utterly and completely worthless? Dr. Thomas Stamey of Stanford University says that it has no scientific basis whatsoever and doesn't correlate with prostate cancer. (Click here to read more articles on the demise of the psa test. |
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II
See book keywords and concepts |
 Men are diagnosed as having prostate problems when their psa levels are above four. But this test alone is hardly a firm diagnosis of cancer, especially if the psa level is barely above four. The ambiguity of this test leads to some very difficult decision-making. Occasionally my friends ask for my opinion. Should they have a little surgery or a lot? Is a psa value of 6.0 a serious problem or just a wake-up call? If it's a wake-up call, then what must they do to reduce such a number? |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
See article keywords and concepts |
| Why do you think they're still using psa tests for prostate cancer, even though the very inventor of the psa test announced in late 2004 that the test was utterly and completely worthless? Dr. Thomas Stamey of Stanford University says that it has no scientific basis whatsoever and doesn't correlate with prostate cancer. (Click here to read more articles on the demise of the psa test. |
Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
| Here's where the levels should be, remembering that an increase over time is more indicative than just a single test:
Age psa Levels (nanograms of psa per milliliter of blood, or ng/ml)
40-49 0 to 0.25
50-59 0 to 3.5
60-69 0 to 4.5
70-79 0 to 6.5
Treatment Options
Various medical procedures exist for treating benign diseases such as BPH, as well as cancer if you decide that the discomfort of your symptoms or rate of the cancer's growth outweighs the risks associated with losing your prostate. In some cases, surgery may be preferable to taking drugs for the rest of your life. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
See book keywords and concepts |
 A blood test called a psa (for prostate-specific antigen) is a good idea. Though the test is hardly conclusive for cancer, psa is frequently elevated in the blood of men with prostate cancer.
Other Helpful Supplements
Although saw palmetto is the superstar nutrient for "curing" all-night bathroom breaks, four other supplements have also been found to be helpful. Pygeum is an extract from the bark of an African tree and is approved in at least three countries in Europe as a BPH remedy. It relieves symptoms of BPH and contains at least three types of compounds that help the prostate. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
See book keywords and concepts |
| Subjects were able to continue use of LH-releasing hormone agonist and visited their oncologist monthly for psa measurement. After 4 months of treatment, only one patient experienced a tumor response, demonstrated by a 50% decrease in psa level from baseline (from 229 ng/dL to 105 ng/dL). The response was not maintained beyond 2 months (Jatoi et al, 2003).
Components in Green Tea appear to have effective biochemical modulators for resistant tumors. Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells were transplanted intraperitoneally into 6-week-old mice. |
Ron Garner
See book keywords and concepts |
 He also explains why the psa (Prostate Specific Antigen) count is not a reliable indicator of cancer because it is based on an erroneous understanding of the role of psa in the body. He suggests that men should endeavor to maintain healthy levels of progesterone and testosterone for both preventing and treating prostate cancer.21
To date, it is largely unrecognized and unacknowledged that the male body goes through a midlife hormonal change similar to that of the female body, although more gradually. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
See book keywords and concepts |
 If a man's psa level is found to be high, the test should always be repeated, because it does yield false-positive or false-negative results an estimated 10 to 20 percent of the time. Having the test repeated every year may help a physician to better interpret the results; in healthy men, psa levels tend to remain relatively stable, rising only gradually from year to year, while cancer causes the levels to rise more dramatically.
Ultrasound scanning of the prostate is often done to follow up on an abnormal rectal exam or psa test. |
Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey
See book keywords and concepts |
 Because of its sensitivity, the psa test can lead to the diagnosis of very early, microscopic tumors. Although such lesions might never progress to clinical disease, surgical removal carries a risk of major complications (notably incontinence and/or impotence), leading to controversy regarding the proper use of psa as a screening test for early prostate cancer [3, 4].
II. DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PROSTATE CANCER
A. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
See book keywords and concepts |
| Treatment with isolated Soy protein (ISP) beverages in 34 elderly men (>55 years) with elevated psa (> 4 nanogram/ milliliter) had no effect on either psa or p 105 (pro-oncogene) in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study (Urban et al, 2001).
Quality of Life, Postmenopausal
No particular or marked overall benefit of one-year supplementation with Soy protein containing isoflavones on quality of life was observed in 202 postmenopausal women (age 60 to 75) in this double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. The daily Soy protein supplement was a powder that contained 25. |
Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Just the psa, please," is what I now frequently hear. The other day my finger detected the second early prostate cancer in as many months even though the psa was normal! The psa can be inaccurate when the cancer is very small. So if you're going to do it, do it right—with both the rectal exam and the psa. But don't panic if the psa is a little high. Benign enlargement of the prostate without any cancer can cause an elevated reading.
Can what you eat or not eat help prevent prostate cancer? |
Ron Garner
See book keywords and concepts |
| He also explains why the psa (Prostate Specific Antigen) count is not a reliable indicator of cancer because it is based on an erroneous understanding of the role of psa in the body. He suggests that men should endeavor to maintain healthy levels of progesterone and testosterone for both preventing and treating prostate cancer.21
To date, it is largely unrecognized and unacknowledged that the male body goes through a midlife hormonal change similar to that of the female body, although more gradually. |
Neal Barnard, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 A low level of psa is present in the blood of any man with a functioning prostate; higher levels alert physicians that a change of some type has occurred in the prostate.
PSA levels vary greatly from one person to the next. For cancer patients, doctors are less interested in the exact psa level than in changes over time. If the prostate is surgically removed and there has been no spread of the tumor elsewhere in the body, the psa will fall to zero within three weeks after the operation. Radiation treatments cause a slower drop.39 A psa increase may be a sign that further treatment is needed. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
See book keywords and concepts |
| Healthy men (n=46) with various baseline psa levels were recruited for studies on the effects of Soy on blood lipids. Pooled analysis from four studies showed treatment phases that lasted from 3 to 4 weeks, with average Soy protein consumption of 44 g (116 mg isoflavones) daily. Although Soy consumption was significant enough to reduce serum cholesterol and oxidized low-density lipoprotein concentration, no effect on psa values were seen (Jenkins et al, 2003). |
Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey
See book keywords and concepts |
| Incidence trends in the United States show a rather slow increase over most of the past 50 years, with a rather striking increase between 1989 and 1992, attributable in large measure to the widespread adoption of the psa screening test, which first became available in the early 1980s [7, 8]. Since 1992, the incidence has declined, reflecting an end to the surge in cases due to the introduction of this new screening procedure [9, 10], as well as, perhaps, to the more judicious application of psa screening. Moreover, mortality from prostate cancer is low relative to its incidence. |
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
See book keywords and concepts |
 In the human animal, soy either failed to improve psa or actually increased levels in middle-aged and elderly men.68 70 psa (prostate specific antigen) is a marker of prostate tumor growth. However, a few human studies suggest that if soy, in fact, can reduce rates of prostate cancer it does so only for those who produce equol.71" 72 Equol is a metabolite of the soy isoflavone daidzein that some people produce in the intestines (see Chapter 26). If so, only some males can benefit from soy protein consumption. |
Bill Sardi
See book keywords and concepts |
 There was no effect among men with high psa counts. [International Journal Cancer 116: 182-86, 2005]
Some doctors are dubious of finasteride and note that weight control, dietary changes, lycopene, soy beans, omega 3 oil, selenium, vitamin E and avoidance of tobacco are without risks, efficient and commendable. [Review Med Suisse 2: 163-65, 2006]
Cancer Preventive Chemicals, By Tumor Site
¦ . . . . . |
| Survival should mean actual years, not a "biochemical cure" by arbitrary evaluation of psa count)
3. How does the treatment I am considering compare to watchful waiting in terms of overall survival?
4. At my age am I likely to experience a metastasizing (spreading) tumor in my remaining years of life?
5. What percentage of men, electing to undergo the treatment I am considering, experience side effects such as impotence, loss of urinary or bowel control or other symptoms?
6. Does the treatment I am considering in any way increase the risk for secondary tumors? (Radiation damage, etc.)
7. |
Email this page to a friend
