Obesity
Linked To Worse Outcome For Prostate Cancer
Experts Say Hormones Linked
With Heavy Weight Increases Risks
Prostate cancer is
more aggressive and harder to treat in obese men, according
to two studies reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The finding could
help explain why prostate cancer is a special problem for African-American
men, who are more likely to be obese than Caucasian men,
says Dr. Stephen J. Freedland, lead author of one of two studies
reporting essentially similar findings.
"We suspect that worse
outcomes among African-American men with prostate cancer are
related to obesity rather than race," says Dr. Freedland, a
clinical instructor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
"If we can target
obesity in the African-American community, we may be able to
reduce the burden of prostate cancer among black men," Dr. Freedland
says.
Experts Advise Weight
Control
But men of all races
can heed the lesson about keeping weight under control, Dr.
Freedland adds, noting that "obese men often have other medical
problems." Obesity has been linked to a higher risk of many
conditions, most notably heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular
problems.
"The general recommendation
should be to avoid obesity," says Dr. Christopher L. Amling,
lead author of the other report, an assistant professor of urology
at the Navy Medical Center in San Diego. "Both papers indicate
that maintaining normal weight throughout your lifetime reduces
your risk of developing more aggressive prostate cancer."
Dr. Freedland's study
came from an analysis of data on 1,106 men who underwent surgery
for prostate cancer. Men classified as obese on the basis of
a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher - equivalent to a weight
of 245 pounds for a 5 foot, 10 inch man - had a 60 percent risk
of cancer recurrence within three years, more than double the
risk of non-obese men.
Dr. Amling's study
included 3,162 prostate cancer patients and defined obesity
as a BMI of 30, equivalent to a weight of 210 pounds for that
same 5 foot, 10 inch man. The 19 percent of men in the study
who met that definition were 20 percent more likely to have
the cancer recur.
Obesity Leads
to More Aggressive Cancer
Tissue analysis showed
that cancers from obese men also scored consistently higher
on a scale of aggressive growth, both studies say.
"The results are very
similar," Dr. Amling says. "Both studies suggest that obesity
results in more aggressive cancers."
The best explanation
for the finding is that obesity causes changes in levels of
hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, and proteins such as
leptin and insulin-like growth factor, which are involved in
cell growth and division, Dr. Freedland says.
Obese men should be
especially careful to have the annual test for prostate-specific
antigen recommended by the National Cancer Institute,
he says.
"Annual testing should
be able to pick up prostate cancer early enough for us to treat
it aggressively," Dr. Freedland says. "One way to protect yourself
is to maintain a healthy weight, with an exercise regimen involved."
Always consult your
physician for more information.
|
February 2004
Obesity
Linked To Worse Outcome For Prostate Cancer
Experts
Advise Weight Control
Obesity
Leads to More Aggressive Cancer
Symptoms
of Prostate Cancer
Symptoms
of Prostate Cancer
There are usually
no specific signs or symptoms of early prostate cancer - which
is why prostate screening is so important.
An annual physical
examination, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, and
digital rectal exam (DRE) provide the best chance of identifying
prostate cancer in its earliest stages.
The following are
the most common symptoms of prostate cancer:
-
weak or interrupted flow
of urine
-
urinating often (especially
at night)
-
difficulty urinating or holding
back urine
-
-
pain or burning when urinating
-
blood in the urine or semen
-
nagging pain in the back,
hips, or pelvis
-
difficulty having an erection
The symptoms of prostate
cancer may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always
consult your physician for a diagnosis.
As a man gets older,
his prostate may grow bigger and obstruct the flow of urine,
or interfere with sexual function.
An enlarged prostate
gland - a condition called benign prostate hyperplasia - may
require treatment with medicine or surgery to relieve symptoms.
This common benign
prostate condition, which is not cancer, can cause many of the
same symptoms as prostate cancer.
Always consult your
physician for more information.
Online
Resources
(Our Organization
is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)
American
Cancer Society
Healthfinder,
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
National
Cancer Institute
National
Institutes of Health (NIH)
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