Prostate cancer
results when there are abnormal cells in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer can
be aggressive, which means it grows quickly and spreads to other parts of the
body. When prostate cancer spreads, doctors say the cancer has "metastasized."
Or it may be slow growing and stay in the prostate, causing few if any problems.
Three out of four cases of prostate cancer are of the slow-growing type that is
relatively harmless. Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in
American men, other than skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that
there are about 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States each
year.
Alternative Prostate Cancer treatment for localized prostate cancer
Exercise, maintaining normal body weight, eating fish, legumes,
flaxseed, yellow-orange vegetables and cruciferous vegetables lower prostate cancer
risk. Increasing the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in the diet appears
to slow the progression of prostate cancer. The so-called Western diet
commonly consumed in the US contains mostly omega-6 fatty acids, derived
from corn oil and other sources. Omega-3 fatty acids, by contrast, are
abundant in cold-water fish, a food source missing in the diets of many
Americans.
Much has been written about the conventional treatment of prostate
cancer. This web page focuses on some of the research done with natural
supplements. Do no change your prostate cancer treatment plan as recommended by
your doctor. Rather, if you find any of this information interesting, bring it
to the attention of your urologist or family doctor.
Certain supplements have been found
to have an influence on prostate cancer, particularly in laboratory
tests or animal studies. Long term, double blind human studies are not available to
confirm these early laboratory findings, but it may be worthwhile to consider the following
alternative prostate cancer treatment supplements as long as you have approval
by your doctor. Perhaps some of these natural herbs can be used together with
traditional prostate cancer treatment strategies.
Curcumin may help fight cancer, including
an alternative prostate cancer treatment. Researchers have
found in the lab that curcumin
can enhance the cancer-fighting power of
treatment with TRAIL, a naturally occurring molecule that helps kill cancer
cells. TRAIL stands for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand.
In an experiment with human prostate cancer cells in a laboratory dish, the
combination treatment killed off two to three times more cells than either
treatment alone.
Fish oils appear to be beneficial (see study below). Flax seed oil may also be
helpful. Krill oil is another option.
Flaxseeds can be used daily for preventive purposes
Genistein levels are lower in patients with enlarged prostates or prostate
cancer. Soy isoflavonoid supplements may help reduce the risk for prostate
cancer.
Guggulsterone, a constituent of Indian Ayurvedic medicinal plant Commiphora
mukul, causes apoptosis of prostate cancer cells in vitro.
IP6 - inositol hexaphosphate supplement
Lycopene Adding lycopene to orchidectomy produces a more reliable and consistent
decrease in serum PSA level; it not only shrinks the primary tumor but also
diminishes the secondary tumors, providing better relief from bone pain and
lower urinary tract symptoms, and improving survival compared with orchidectomy
alone. However, lycopene supplements, alone, may not be enough.
Milk thistle -- many compounds in mile thistle, including silymarin and
silibinin, have shown potent anti-prostate cancer activity.
Pygeum africanum used for treatment of BPH, has a
significant role in regulation of prostate cancer both in vitro and in vivo and
therefore may be a useful supplement for people at high risk for developing
prostate cancer.
Quercetin is a flavonoid found widely in plants.
Resveratrol has been found helpful in mouse studies.
Saw palmetto -- one test tube study indicates saw palmetto slows the growth of
prostate cancer cells. See saw palmetto information.
Stinging Nettle -- see study below
Reishi has anti-cancer activity in prostate cancer cells
Soy protein supplement use may be an alternative prostate cancer treatment or
prevention. Soy consumption is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer.
Vitamin E Natural Complex -- see study below. It is preferable to keep total
vitamin E dosage a day to between 30 and 200 units. There is no proof that
higher amounts of vitamin E are beneficial.
Fat and
prostate cancer risk
Diets high in saturated fat increase the risk of prostate cancer progression. In
a follow up study of men who had their cancerous prostates removed, men who
consumed higher amounts of saturated fat -- mostly from steaks, burgers, cheese,
ice cream, salad dressings, and mayonnaise -- were more likely to experience
disease progression after surgery than men with lower saturated fat intake.
International Journal of Cancer, June 1, 2008. Therefore, an alternative
prostate cancer treatment is to consume a higher intake of whole grains, fruits
and vegetables, substitute fish for steaks and burgers, and to eat less dairy.
Fish oils,
omega-3 fatty acids
Dr. John S. Witte of the University of California, San Francisco reports a diet
high in omega-3 fatty acids offers protection against advanced prostate cancer,
even in men who carry a particular variant in the COX-2 gene that is known to
raise the risk of the disease. Dr. John S. Witte studied 466 men diagnosed with
aggressive prostate cancer and 478 healthy matched controls. Increasing intake
of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids -- the kind found in dark fish, like salmon,
and shellfish -- was strongly associated with a decreased risk of aggressive
prostate cancer. Men who consumed the most long-chain omega-3 fatty acids had a
reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer compared to men. Clinical Cancer
Research, online March 24, 2009.
Flaxseed
supplementation (not dietary fat restriction) reduces prostate cancer
proliferation rates in men presurgery.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 Dec; Demark-Wahnefried W, Polascik
TJ, George SL, Switzer BR, Madden JF, Ruffin MT 4th, Snyder DC, Owzar K, Hars V,
Albala DM, Walther PJ, Robertson CN, Moul JW, Dunn BK, Brenner D, Minasian
L, Stella P, Vollmer RT. Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences,
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 301439, Unit
1330, Houston, TX 77230-1439, USA.
Prostate cancer affects one of six men during their lifetime. Dietary factors
are postulated to influence the development and progression of prostate cancer.
Low-fat diets and flaxseed supplementation may offer potentially protective
strategies. : We undertook a multisite, randomized controlled trial to test the
effects of low-fat and/or flaxseed-supplemented diets on the biology of the
prostate and other biomarkers. Prostate cancer patients (n = 161) scheduled at
least 21 days before prostatectomy were randomly assigned to one of the
following arms: (a) control (usual diet), (b) flaxseed-supplemented diet (30
g/d), (c) low-fat diet (<20% total energy), or (d) flaxseed-supplemented,
low-fat diet. Blood was drawn at baseline and before surgery and analyzed for
prostate-specific antigen, sex hormone-binding globulin, testosterone,
insulin-like growth factor-I and binding protein-3, C-reactive protein, and
total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Tumors were assessed for
proliferation (Ki-67, the primary endpoint) and apoptosis. Men were on protocol
an average of 30 days. Proliferation rates were significantly lower among men
assigned to the flaxseed arms. No differences were observed between arms with
regard to side effects, apoptosis, and most serologic endpoints; however, men on
low-fat diets experienced significant decreases in serum cholesterol. Findings
suggest that flaxseed is safe and associated with biological alterations that
may be protective for prostate cancer. Data also further support low-fat diets
to manage serum cholesterol.
Soy and
prostate cancer risk, an alternative prostate cancer treatment or prevention
Soy consumption and prostate cancer risk in men: a revisit of a meta-analysis.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Feb 11. Yan L, Spitznagel EL. Grand Forks Human
Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of
Agriculture, Grand Forks, ND, and the Department of Mathematics, Washington
University, St Louis, MO.
Epidemiologic studies have shown that the consumption of soy foods may be
associated with a reduction in cancer risk in humans. The purpose of this study
was to conduct a meta-analysis on the association between soy consumption and
prostate cancer risk in men. We systematically reviewed studies obtained through
a thorough Medline literature search and identified 15 epidemiologic
publications on soy consumption and 9 on isoflavones in association with
prostate cancer risk. The results of this analysis suggest that consumption of
soy foods is associated with a reduction in prostate cancer risk in men. This
protection may be associated with the type and quantity of soy foods consumed.
Supplements for
prostate cancer
Effect of nutritional supplement challenge in patients with isolated
high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia.
Urology. 2007 Jun;69(6):1102-6.
Department of Urology, University Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,
Leuven, Belgium.
The
researchers wanted to see the effects of selenium, vitamin E,
and soy isoflavonoid supplements in men diagnosed with isolated prostate
cancer on biopsy. The results showed that taking these supplements for a period
of six months led to a decrease in the PSA level which could predict a lower
risk of prostate cancer in future
biopsies.
At the study endpoint, prostate cancer
had been found in 24 men (33%), HGPIN in 34 (48%), and no HGPIN or
carcinoma in 13 (18%). The prostate cancer risk throughout the study period was
25% in the group with a stable or decreasing PSA level
and 52% in the group with an increasing PSA level.
Green tea and prostate cancer
Compounds found in green tea may prevent the
development of prostate cancer in men with a pre-cancerous condition
called high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). About 30,000 men die
from prostate cancer in the United States every year. High-grade PIN
progresses to invasive prostate cancer within a year in about 30 percent
of men and no treatment is given to these men with high-grade PIN until
prostate cancer is diagnosed. Green tea catechins may be one answer. A
trial was performed involving men with high-grade PIN, who were given an
inactive placebo preparation or one containing 600 milligrams of green tea
catechins daily, "equivalent to 12-15 cups of green tea infusion, that is
about two times the average intake in Asian countries. After a year, only
1 man among 32 in the green tea catechins group developed prostate cancer,
a rate of only 3 percent. In contrast, 9 out of 30 men treated with
placebo developed prostate cancer, for the expected rate of 30 percent.
Prostate cancer and IP-6
Prostate cancer and inositol hexaphosphate:
efficacy and mechanisms.
Anticancer Res. 2005 Jul-Aug;25(4):2891-903. Singh RP, Agarwal R.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of
Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA.
Inositol hexaphosphate ( IP6 ) is a major constituent of most cereals,
legumes, nuts, oil seeds and soybean. Taken orally as an over-the-counter
dietary/nutrient supplement, and is recognised as offering several health
benefits without any known toxicity. In vitro anticancer efficacy of IP6
has been observed in many human, mouse and rat prostate cancer cells.
Completed studies also show that oral feeding of IP6 inhibits human
prostate cancer xenograft growth in nude mice without toxicity. In a
recently completed pilot study, we observed similar preventive effects of
IP6 on prostate tumorigenesis in the TRAMP model. Mechanistic studies
indicate that IP6 targets mitogenic and survival signaling, as well as
cell cycle progression, in prostate cancer cells. IP6 is also shown to
target molecular events associated with angiogenesis. Moreover, IP6 has
pleiotropic molecular targets for its overall efficacy against prostate
cancer and, therefore, could be a suitable candidate agent for preventive
intervention of this malignancy in humans.
Lycopene and prostate cancer
Do dietary lycopene and other carotenoids protect against prostate cancer?
Int J Cancer. 2004 Oct 28
To determine whether dietary intake of lycopene and other carotenoids has an
association with prostate cancer, a case-control study was conducted
in Hangzhou, southeast China during 2001-2002. The cases were 130 incident
patients with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The
controls were 274 hospital inpatients without prostate cancer or any other
malignant diseases. Information on usual food consumption, including vegetables
and fruits, was collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured food
frequency questionnaire. The risks of prostate cancer for the intake of
carotenoids and selected vegetables and fruits rich in carotenoids were assessed. The prostate cancer
risk declined with increasing consumption of lycopene, alpha-carotene,
beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin. Intake of tomatoes,
pumpkin, spinach, watermelon and citrus fruits were also inversely
associated with the prostate cancer risk. The results suggest that vegetables and fruits rich in lycopene and
other carotenoids may be protective against prostate cancer.
Phytoestrogens and prostate
cancer
A mix of dietary supplements including antioxidants and plant-based estrogens
may slow the rise of a biomarker for prostate cancer progression in some
men. The study of 37 men with the disease found that 6 weeks on the
supplements generally lowered patients' levels of male sex hormones, which
fuel prostate cancer growth, and, in some patients, put the brakes on
rising levels of prostate-specific antigen.
The current findings are in line with studies of the general population
that suggest diets rich in antioxidants and phytoestrogens may lower the
risk of prostate cancer. Fruits and vegetables are prime antioxidant
sources, while phytoestrogens are found in foods such as soybeans and soy
products, whole grains and flaxseed.
SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, February 20, 2005.
Resveratrol as alternative Prostate Cancer
treatment
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, gave male mice, on a daily
basis, the powerful
antioxidant resveratrol, the
equivalent of that found in a bottle of red wine. They discovered
that the mice were significantly less likely to develop prostate cancer.
Mice which were fed resveratrol, but still got cancer, developed less
serious tumors. Last year this same team found that female mice given
resveratrol had a significantly reduced risk of developing breast cancer.
Comments: Red wine has about 2 to 3 milligrams of resveratrol
per liter (a liter is almost 34 ounces). Most resveratrol supplements on
the market have about 10 mg per capsule. For the time being, taking one or
two resveratrol supplements a week is fine if you are consuming many other
antioxidants on a daily basis. However, if you hardly take any antioxidant
supplements, then you can take the resveratrol more frequently.
Soy protein and prostate cancer
risk
Soy protein isolate increases urinary estrogens and the ratio of
2:16alpha-hydroxyestrone in men at high risk of prostate cancer.
J Nutr. 2007 Oct;137(10):2258-63.Hamilton-Reeves JM, Rebello SA, Thomas W,
Slaton JW, Kurzer MS. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of
Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
Significantly lower excretion of urinary estradiol (E2) and lower ratio of
urinary 2-hydroxy estrogens to 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (2:16 OH-E1) have been
reported in prostate cancer cases compared to controls. Soy supplementation has
been shown to increase the ratio 2:16 OH-E1 in women. The objective of this
trial was to determine the effects of soy protein isolate consumption on
estrogen metabolism in men at high risk for developing advanced prostate cancer.
Fifty-eight men supplemented their habitual diets with 1 of 3 protein isolates:
1) isoflavone-rich soy protein isolate (SPI+) (107 mg isoflavones / d); 2)
alcohol-washed soy protein isolate (SPI-) (<6 mg isoflavones/d); or 3) milk
protein isolate (MPI), each providing 40 g protein/d. Both soy groups had higher
E2 excretion than the MPI group at 3 and 6 mo. After 6 mo of supplementation,
the SPI+ group had a significantly higher urinary 2:16 OH-E1 ratio than the MPI
group. Increased urinary E2 excretion and 2:16 OH-E1 ratio in men consuming soy
protein isolate are consistent with studies in postmenopausal women and suggest
that soy consumption may be beneficial in men at high risk of progressing to
advanced prostate cancer as a result of effects on endogenous estrogen
metabolism.
Saw Palmetto as alternative Prostate Cancer
treatment
Extract from the Saw Palmetto berry, a commonly used herbal supplement taken by
men with enlarged prostates, may also have anti-cancer properties, researchers
announced at a meeting of The American Society for Cell Biology.
"Since we knew that saw palmetto berry extract had some effect on the
prostate, we decided to take this a step further. We wanted to know if the saw
palmetto had any effect on prostate cancer cells," said researchers at
Children's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
The research team analyzed the effects of saw palmetto berry extract on cancer cells. To accomplish
this, they exposed prostate cancer cells and a generic cancer cell line to
various concentrations of saw palmetto berry extract. The cancer cell growth in laboratory
cell cultures was then monitored.
About one-fifth the amount of berry extract was needed to decrease the cell
growth of the prostate cancer cells compared to the amount needed to slow down
the growth of the generic cancer cells.
Selenium and antioxidants as
alternative prostate
cancer prevention
Several
trials over the past few years have shown that supplementation with
selenium or vitamin E is associated with a reduction of prostate cancer
risk. In a study, researchers wanted to find out
whether supplementation with low doses of several antioxidant vitamins and
minerals could reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer. The trial
comprised 5,141 men randomized to take either a placebo or a
supplementation with nutritional doses of vitamin C, vitamin E,
beta-carotene, selenium and zinc daily for 8 years. Biochemical markers of
prostate cancer risk such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and
insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) were measured. During the follow-up,
103 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed. Overall, there was a moderate
reduction in prostate cancer rate associated with the supplementation.
However, the effect differed significantly between men with normal
baseline PSA and those with elevated PSA. Among those with normal PSA,
there was a significant reduction in the rate of prostate cancer for men
receiving the supplements. The researchers say, "Our findings support the
hypothesis that chemoprevention of prostate cancer can be achieved with
nutritional doses of antioxidant vitamins and minerals."
There are a number of other supplements that
have been studied in relation to prostate cancer prevention or treatment,
at least in the laboratory or in mice. These include curcumin (from
turmeric), lycopene (found in tomatoes), silymarin (in milk thistle),
genistein (in soy), and many others.
Sulforaphane as alternative
prostate cancer treatment or prevention
Eating broccoli may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Richard
Mithen, a biologist at Britain's Institute of Food Research. believes
sulforaphane, found in high amounts in broccoli, initiates hundreds of genetic
changes, activating some genes that fight cancer and switching off others that
stimulate tumors. Richard Mithen divided into two groups 24 men with
pre-cancerous lesions that increase prostate cancer risk and had them eat four
extra servings of either broccoli or peas each week for a year. Men who ate
broccoli showed hundreds of changes in genes known to play a role in fighting
cancer. Richard Mithen thinks that the benefit would likely be similar in other
cruciferous vegetables that contain a compound called isothiocyanate, including
Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, watercress and horseradish. Broccoli,
however, has a particularly powerful type of the compound called sulforaphane.
A
lternative prostate cancer treatment or prevention with vitaminsVitamin D
Dr. Francesca L. Crowe of the University of Oxford in Oxford, UK, writes in the
American Journal of Epidemiology, "Despite the widespread notion that vitamin D
insufficiency is an important risk factor for prostate cancer, this theory has
not been substantiated by results from the majority of published prospective
studies."
Scientists have been investigating whether insufficient vitamin D boosts
prostate cancer risk ever since a 1990 study linked higher rates of the disease
to lower sunlight exposure (which triggers vitamin D production in the body).
However, while experiments in lab dishes and animals have supported such a
relationship, investigations in men living in the US and in Scandinavian
countries have not. To investigate the association in a wider European
population, researchers looked at men from seven different European countries
who participated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and
Nutrition. The analysis compared 652 men who developed prostate cancer after 4
years of follow-up to 752 men who did not. Men with the highest blood
levels of vitamin D were actually 28 percent more likely to develop prostate
cancer than the men with the lowest levels, the researchers found, but this
wasn't a significant difference from a statistical standpoint -- meaning it
could have occurred by chance. Some research suggests that men with certain
genetic mutations affecting the body's processing of vitamin D are at risk of
prostate cancer when they are deficient in the nutrient, Dr. Francesca L. Crowe
notes. American Journal of Epidemiology, May 15, 2009.
Higher Vitamin D Levels Associated With Better Prostate Cancer Prognosis. In an article published recently in the British Journal of Cancer, investigators concluded that men with medium-to-high serum levels of vitamin D have a better chance of surviving prostate cancer compared with men with the lowest levels of the so-called “sunshine vitamin.”*For an average of slightly less than four years, Norwegian scientists followed the progress of 160 men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. At the end of the study period, statistical analysis revealed a significant association between higher serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and better cancer outcomes. The relative risk of dying from prostate cancer was slashed by two-thirds among men with medium levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (20-32 ng/mL), versus those with the lowest levels (<20 ng/mL). The risk of dying was slashed by more than 80% among patients with the highest levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (>32 ng/mL). This protective association was even greater among men who received hormone therapy. The findings suggest that identifying and correcting low serum levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D could be an important strategy in prostate cancer management.— Dale Kiefer Reference:* Br J Cancer. 2009 Feb 10;100(3):450-4.
Vitamin E and prostate cancer
High blood levels of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol,
seem to cut the risk of prostate cancer by about 50 percent each. The
findings are based on an analysis of 100 individuals with prostate cancer
and 200 cancer-free "controls" participating in the Alpha-Tocopherol,
Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study, which included nearly 30,000
Finnish men. Men with the highest levels of alpha-tocopherol in their
blood at baseline were 51 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer
than those with the lowest levels. Similarly, men with the highest levels
of gamma-tocopherol were 43 percent less likely to develop the disease
compared with men with the lowest levels. Further analysis showed that the
link between high tocopherol levels and low cancer risk was stronger among
subjects using alpha-tocopherol supplements than among non-users. This
supports the original findings from the ATBC study, which showed that
daily vitamin E supplementation reduced the risk of prostate cancer by 32
percent. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, March 2, 2005.
Red wine and prostate cancer
Consumption of red wine may reduce the risk of prostate cancer in
middle-aged men. Dr. Janet L. Stanford, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center in Seattle, and colleagues studied data from 753 newly
diagnosed prostate cancer patients between 40 and 64 years of age, and
from a comparison group of 703 matched "controls" to assess the
association between alcohol consumption and prostate cancer. The men with
and without prostate cancer completed in-person interviews about lifetime
alcohol consumption and other risk factors for prostate cancer. No clear
associations were observed between the risk of prostate cancer and overall
alcohol consumption, the team reports in published in the International
Journal of Cancer. However, "each additional glass of red wine consumed
per week showed a statistically significant 6% decrease in relative risk"
of prostate cancer, they report.
Prostate Cancer and
Alternative Medicine statistics
About one third of prostate cancer patients in the United States use some
type of complementary or alternative
medicine. Past studies have found that prostate cancer patients often begin
taking alternative or complementary medicines after receiving their diagnosis.
To investigate more specifically, researchers looked at use of more than 50
different types of complementary or alternative medicines in a group of 2,582
men in a registry of prostate cancer patients. One third reported using some
type of alternative medicine, with 26% using mineral or vitamin
supplements, 16% taking herbs,
13% taking antioxidants and 12% taking some type of alternative treatment for
"prostate health," such as saw palmetto or lycopene. Men using alternative
medicine tended to have higher incomes, more education, and more advanced cancer
at diagnosis. Alternative medicine users also were more likely to have other
illnesses. The men who used alternative treatments targeted to prostate health
were younger and less likely to be obese. SOURCE: Urology, December 2005.
Pomegranate juice and prostate cancer treatment
In men with recurrent prostate cancer, drinking 8 ounces per day of
pomegranate juice significantly increases the time it takes for an
increase in levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), an indicator of
prostate cancer. Before the men in the study began consuming pomegranate
juice, the average PSA doubling time, a measure of tumor activity, was 15
months. The average time after treatment was 37 months. So, there was
almost a 2-year increase in the doubling time. Pomegranate juice contains
a number of antioxidants thought to have anti-cancer effects, Pomegranate
juice contains estrogen-like plant substances called phytoestrogens that
could be useful in combating prostate cancer. Pomegranate juice therapy
was well tolerated and no serious adverse effects were reported. In
addition to the beneficial increase in PSA doubling time, in vitro testing
showed decreased cancer cell division and proliferation and increased
cancer cell death. Urine testing confirmed the presence of pomegranate
antioxidants in all men. The study was funded by the Stewart and Lynda
Resnick Trust, which own the POM Wonderful pomegranate juice company.
Alternative prostate cancer treatment and prevention
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, reduce the intake of white bread,
high intake of meats and saturated fat, reduce or eliminate smoking, reduce
stress, sleep well, exercise, avoid unnecessary hormone use, particularly
androgens, eat more flax and fish oil.
Greater consumption of dark green and cruciferous vegetables,
especially broccoli and cauliflower, is associated with a decreased risk of
aggressive prostate cancer.
Additional herbs and natural
compounds for alternative prostate cancer treatment
Plumbago Zeylanica
has plumbagin, which has anti prostate cancer potential.
Alternative prostate cancer
treatment advice
Q. Hi I need alternative prostate cancer treatment
advice for my father who had prostate cancer diagnosed 3 years ago. He underwent
a radical prostectomy and has been having his psa levels checked regularly on
his last result he was showing a result of .1, his urologist has recommended a
further test in 3 months and then if higher or no change to be referred back to
an oncologist for radiotherapy we are not keen on the radiotherapy and would be
very grateful if you could suggest alternative prostate cancer treatment but
also tips on good and bad foods to eat we have been looking into modified citrus
pectin and linseed but there is so many differing opinions.
A. Some of the natural supplements listed above could be helpful
and you can discuss these with your doctor.
Q. I've been reading your information re alternative
prostate
cancer treatment. In the paragraph of
this page "Prostate Cancer and omega 3 fatty acids", a mention that research
that ALA have been linked to the development of prostate cancer. Flax seeds
contain alpha lipoic acid. Does that mean that Flax seeds are not recommended.
A. Not at all, flax seeds appear to be a healthy addition to one's
diet, including those with prostate cancer.
Q. I would like to use quercetin supplement to block the receptors on the cells
of the prostate cancer as an alternative prostate cancer treatment. Could you
suggests a dosage, and any particular brand or products containing quercetin.
A. Hardly any human studies have been done with quercetin
supplements and prostate cancer prevention and treatment, therefore it is not
easy to determine the appropriate dosage and whether this supplement is
effective as a prostate cancer treatment.
home. This web page on alternative prostate cancer
treatment is updated regularly.