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Tuesday

27Oct2009

Every 13 Minutes A Woman Dies Of Breast Cancer

Oct 27, 2009

Desiree Jones--

We have all heard the slogan, “Early detection is the best protection.” As a matter of fact, as a health professional, I find that I can seldom sort through my weekly medical mail without having that slogan staring at me from nearly a dozen different postcards and other mail received from a myriad of local health facilities and hospitals. Notwithstanding that, in this post, I challenge conventional wisdom vis-à-vis this slogan, and ask you to consider another crucially important perspective on this matter.

If you are a woman and concerned about becoming a victim of breast cancer, your doctor might advise you to get regular mammograms for the purpose of “early detection.” Similarly, if you are a man, and are concerned about prostate cancer, your doctor may ask you to get a “PSA” or Prostate-Specific Antigen test. While “early detection” as represented by these tests is valuable and important, and does indeed save lives from the standpoint of early treatment, it does nothing to prevent anything; that is, you cannot prevent breast or prostate cancer by early detection! If you “detect” cancer or even pre-cancerous changes in the body’s tissues, it clearly means that either the cancer, or the pre-cancerous condition, has already occurred. In other words, you are now obligated to address a problem that has already manifested itself; you have not prevented it in the first place. Here is my perspective in this matter — I believe that True Prevention can and should occur long before the possibility of disease detection, and a really solid nutrition and lifestyle-based prevention plan might help us make the actual detection of a good percentage of certain cancers irrelevant by putting the effort and emphasis on pro-actively and aggressively preventing these cancers from occurring in the first place.

Now, before you tell me that not all chronic diseases such as certain cancers are preventable, I must interject by asserting that a significant percentage of cancers are in fact preventable. Research suggests unequivocally that only 5-10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90-95% have their roots in an individual’s environment and lifestyle (1). Here is the official breakdown of known factors linked to cancer for all cancer-related deaths:

Almost 25-30% are due to tobacco use
As many as 30-35% are linked to diet
About 15-20% are due to infections
The remaining percentage is due to other factors such as carcinogenic exposures, stress, lack of physical activity, environmental pollutants, etc, i.e. “environmental factors.”

Research also suggests unequivocally that cancer prevention requires:

Smoking cessation
Increased ingestion of fruits and vegetables
Moderate or no use of alcohol
Caloric control
Minimal meat consumption
Whole grain consumption
Avoidance of direct sun exposure
Regular physical activity
Prudent use of vaccinations as needed

The bottom line? We can no longer say that we have no control whatsoever over preventing cancer. The vast majority of cancers are in fact preventable, but they do require major lifestyle changes for most individuals. Two critical factors, that have been studied very extensively through research, give support to the preventability of cancer:

1. The link between diet and cancer is revealed by large variations in the rates of specific cancers in various countries, and the changes observed in the incidence of cancer among those who migrate. For example: Asians have been shown to have a 25 times lower risk of prostate cancer and a ten times lower risk of breast cancer than do residents of Western countries, and the rates of these cancers increase substantially after Asians migrate to the West (2).

2. Extensive studies with identical twins have suggested that genes are not the source of most chronic illnesses. For example, the concordance between identical twins for breast cancer has been found to be only 20% (3). Data suggest that instead of our genes, our lifestyle and environment account for 90-95% of most chronic illnesses.

The reality is this – The weight of scientific evidence that has emerged especially in the last two to three decades from academic centers globally has convincingly and unequivocally established the potent link between nutritional/behavioral choices and good health. Given this evidence, it would be folly, in fact even fatal, for us to ignore what True Prevention-based efforts can do for us. Dr. Walter Willett, Professor of Nutrition at The Harvard School of Public Health recently stated, “With careful attention to the foods we eat, combined with not smoking and regular physical activity, we find that over 80% of heart attacks and greater than 70% of certain cancers can be avoided (4).” From this statement, it seems reasonable to conclude that while we may not be able to wipe out all of cancer with the strategy of True Prevention, we ought to wipe out the 70% or more of cancer that we can, and so also obviate the 80% of heart attacks that are preventable.

The concept of pro-actively preventing deadly diseases such as certain cancers is not an idealistic fantasy. Statistics suggest that every 13 minutes, a woman dies from breast cancer, and increasingly, we are seeing cancer (such as that of the breast) occur in younger women. In light of these facts, we need to take a much more pro-active stance in preventing this disease to the maximum extent possible. Instead, I find that here in the West, too many of us have resigned either to doing our best to detect cancer “early,” or simply to wait for the “Magic Bullet” that will one day wipe out cancer. The point is that while it is incumbent upon us to continue to “race for the cure,” is it sensible not to put to good use the volumes of scientific data that clearly suggests that several common cancers can be prevented through diligent lifestyle modifications? I believe that failing to incorporate research- and evidence-based nutritional and lifestyle modifications as early as possible in life is tantamount to adopting a “reactive” rather than a “pro-active” stance towards this formidable disease, that may result in the death of millions.

In light of the above, I strongly believe that early nutritional and lifestyle interventions (and not early detection alone), coupled with educational initiatives to build awareness of environmental and other carcinogenic exposures, are the true keys to eventually winning the battle against deadly chronic diseases such as cancer. And, while admittedly these interventions may not help us conquer all of cancer, they can decidedly help us conquer a very significant percentage of it. I also believe that while early detection is advisable and should continue in order to help us save the lives of those who may have already become the unfortunate victims of a cancer, or a pre-cancerous condition, we should bear in mind that we are never going to prevent new cases of cancer from emerging if we don’t also get serious about True Prevention. I believe that reassuring millions that “early detection is the best protection” is tantamount to giving these individuals a false sense of security that they are doing “their best” to protect themselves, whereas in reality early detection cannot prevent cancer at all – it can only help us treat cancer as early as possible once the cancer or pre-cancerous conditions have already become existent. Thus, our best efforts to truly protect ourselves from cancer call for a lot more than early detection; they call for early prevention.

This year, more than 1 million Americans, and more than 10 million people worldwide, are expected to be diagnosed with cancer. This disease continues to be a worldwide killer and accounts for about 23% of total deaths in the U.S., being the second most common cause of death after heart disease, and in 2010 it is expected to rise to the rank of the first most common cause of death. Given these numbers, it is past time for us to be encouraged not just to detect cancer(s) early, but to learn all we can and do all we can to prevent cancer(s) from occurring in the first place – at least to the maximum extent possible.

There will always be – and should always be – an important emphasis on catching any disease early. However, the point of this post is this: Given the vast and increasing reach of cancer even in the face of decades of diligent research, it is simply not enough anymore for us to “detect” or “catch” it early. While we must do that, we must simultaneously also work committedly at preventing it early. Perhaps, it is best put this way: Early, committed and diligent efforts to prevent cancer coupled with early detection – are a better strategy than early detection alone. Conventional doctors are in a position truly to guide and encourage their patients to understand this reality and to help them pro-actively prevent cancer to the greatest extent possible. Whether we are academics, physicians, or lay individuals, it’s time to embrace a mindset and a culture of True Prevention. Indeed, doing so and catching the spirit of this idea will involve a revolutionary change in how we approach the treatment of chronic diseases, especially cancer. I dedicate this post to that end.

Notes

(1) Anand, et al. Cancer is a Preventable Disease that Requires Major Lifestyle Changes. Pharm Res. 2008; September 25 (9): 2097-2116.

(2) Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer; Diet and Cancer Report

(3) A.S. Hamilton and T.M. Mack. Puberty and Genetic Susceptibility to Breast Cancer in a Case-Control Study in Twins. New England Journal of Medicine 348: 2313-22 (2003)

(4) Third Annual Great Issues in Medicine and Global Health Symposium, 2006. Linking our Food Choices to Cancer Risk, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

RESOURCES

Diet and Cancer Report

Anand et al. Cancer is a Preventable Disease that Requires Major Lifestyle Changes. Cytokine Research Laboratory, Dept. of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Desiree Jones, PhD is a Doctor of Epidemiology, who speaks and writes on cutting-edge issues pertaining to chronic disease prevention in the Western, and the newly Westernizing nations. She has worked collaboratively with researchers at The University of Texas, Baylor College of Medicine, and Harvard University. Her first book is expected to arrive on the market by Spring 2010, and is entitled, HALTING THE DEATH MARCH– Why America and The Westernized World are Dying from Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, and Other Chronic Diseases, And How to Stop It. Dr. Jones is the Founder of the blog site, The Prevention Revolution. This site brings medical/nutritional research and informed opinion on critical health-care issues to individuals and physicians, as well as to corporations facing high health-care costs. Dr. Jones focuses on translating evidence-based research into real-life choices pertaining to food and lifestyle that can help prevent deadly chronic diseases, and create lasting health.

IBC, Diagnosis Usually At Stage IIIB Or IV Breast Cancer, Median Age 56

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Thursday

01Oct2009

Drug Giant Bayer Tries to Silence CSPI With Threat of Libel Suit

Oct 1, 2009

Bayer Sued Over Unsupported Prostate Cancer Claims on One A Day

WASHINGTON—The Center for Science in the Public Interest has sued the German drug company Bayer for falsely claiming that the selenium in Men’s One A Day multivitamins might reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The lawsuit is filed in the Superior Court of California in San Francisco.

Michael F. JacobsonCSPI first contacted Bayer in June to demand that the drug maker alter its marketing of Men’s One A Day because the largest prostate cancer prevention trial ever conducted found eight months earlier that selenium supplementation does not prevent prostate cancer. More alarmingly, that study and another found that selenium supplements may increase the risk of diabetes.

A day after CSPI contacted Bayer, the FDA issued a letter containing qualified health claim language for use on labels that said, in part, that it was “highly unlikely that selenium supplements reduce the risk of prostate cancer.” That forced Bayer to alter much of its marketing, but it pointedly refused to recall existing packages bearing the false claims. The company also refused to remove all false prostate claims from some marketing for Men’s One A Day, and failed to put in writing that it will not make those claims in the future.

“Given Bayer’s long history of wrongdoing in other cases, CSPI is acting to ensure that Bayer is permanently stopped from deceiving consumers about selenium,” said CSPI litigation director Stephen Gardner.

The largest prostate cancer prevention trial ever conducted found that the mineral selenium was no more effective in reducing prostate cancer risk than a placebo. That trial, the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, known as SELECT, was halted early when it became clear that the men were not benefiting from selenium and may have developed more cases of diabetes than men in the control group. Another study of selenium and prostate cancer found an alarming three-fold increased risk of diabetes among men taking selenium.

Writing about the SELECT trial in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Peter Gann of the University of Illinois at Chicago cautioned that “physicians should not recommend selenium or vitamin E—or any other antioxidant supplements—to their patients for preventing prostate cancer.”

Hopes that selenium might be beneficial to the prostate were further dashed when a 2009 study of men with prostate cancer found more aggressive cases of the disease in men with high selenium blood levels and a common genetic trait shared by three out of four men.

“Bayer has been giving American men false hope about the selenium in One A Day multivitamins,” said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. “Bayer continued to run deceptive ads even after SELECT found that selenium supplements weren’t helping and might even be hurting.”

In a recent letter to CSPI, Bayer threatened to sue CSPI for libel for calling attention to Bayer’s selenium claims. Much of Bayer’s courtroom experience, however, comes as a criminal or civil defendant.

In 2001, Bayer paid $14 million to U.S. and state governments to settle allegations that the company’s actions helped health care providers submit inflated Medicaid claims for drugs.

In 2003, Bayer pleaded guilty to a criminal charge and paid $257 million in fines and penalties after a whistleblower exposed a scheme by the company to overcharge for the antibiotic Cipro. Media accounts at the time described it as the biggest recovery for Medicaid fraud.

In 2004, Bayer pleaded guilty to a criminal charge and paid a $66 million fine after a Justice Department investigation into Bayer’s role in a price-fixing conspiracy involving a chemical used to make rubber products. Two Bayer executives separately pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison for their role in the scandal.

In 2007, Bayer paid $8 million to resolve allegations by state attorneys general that the company failed to warn physicians and consumers about safety issues surrounding its cholesterol-lowering drug Baycol, which is no longer on the market.

Bayer has even gotten into hot water with the federal government in the past over its One A Day marketing. In 2007, it paid a $3.2 million civil fine as part of a consent decree reached with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. The case centered on weight-loss claims that the FTC said violated an earlier order requiring that all health claims for One A Day be supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence. CSPI says that Bayer’s prostate claims for Men’s One A Day violate the consent decree, which could compound the company’s legal problems.

And this year, Bayer was required to run a $20-million corrective advertising campaign about its birth control pill Yaz, and to submit its ads for FDA approval, as part of a legal settlement secured by a number of state attorneys general and the FDA.

“Bayer’s threat to sue CSPI is clearly designed to have a chilling effect on free speech and to intimidate us into silence,” Jacobson said. “I’m confident, however, that the FTC, the FDA, and the courts will all take careful note of the facts of this case, as well as Bayer’s long history of flouting the law. It takes a lot of chutzpah for a company with such a long record of corporate malfeasance to level libel charges against a nonprofit organization.”

CSPI is suing on behalf of itself and its members, and is represented by its in-house litigators Stephen Gardner and Katherine Campbell, alongside Harry Shulman of The Mills Law Firm of San Rafael, Calif., and Washington, D.C.-based lawyers Steven N. Berk and Chris Nidel.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is a nonprofit health advocacy group based in Washington, DC, that focuses on nutrition, food safety, and pro-health alcohol policies. CSPI is supported by the 900,000 U.S. and Canadian subscribers to its Nutrition Action Healthletter and by foundation grants.

CSPI Urges FDA to Seize Stockpiles of Bayer One A Day for Men

M.D.Anderson: 1T Daily Flax Seed May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk

Sep 15, 2009

HOUSTON- September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has unique tips about how to incorporate flaxseed into everyday recipes. Flaxseed, research shows, might reduce prostate cancer risks.

“It’s the omega 3 fatty acids and the lignan present in flaxseed that led us to look at flaxseed’s prostate cancer prevention properties,” says Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Ph.D., R.D., professor of behavioral science at M. D. Anderson and head researcher for a recent study on flaxseed’s potential role as a power food.

When using flaxseed in recipes, keep an open mind. It’s easier to make flaxseed a daily dietary staple when it is consumed in a variety of creative ways.

Here are some easy ways to get going with flaxseed:

• Try crackers or tortilla chips with flaxseed, baked in, they have a pleasant nutty taste.
• Add ground flaxseed to cookies, muffins or cornbread recipes. Its mild and nutty flavor tastes great in peanut butter cookies, or in almost any baked good.
• Add ground flaxseed to yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Sprinkle flaxseed over your salad, or mix it into salad dressing.
• Sprinkle flaxseed over oatmeal, cold cereal or grits.
• Mix flaxseed into pancake or waffle batter. It also perks-up your maple syrup.
• Stir ground flaxseed into juice, water, sports drinks or smoothies.
• Sprinkle flaxseed over soup.
• Stir flaxseed in applesauce, jellies and jams.
• Mix flaxseed in with low-fat mayonnaise before putting it on a sandwich.

Research supports flaxseed’s prostate cancer fighting power:
Research shows that cancer risks, including the risk for prostate cancer, may be reduced by 30 to 40 percent if people ate a more plant-based diet. This healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds – including flaxseed.

“Cancer cells migrate by attaching onto other cells. The omega 3 fatty acids found in flaxseed keep cells from binding together and attaching to blood vessels,” Demark-Wahnefried says. “Lignan may reduce testosterone and other hormone levels. Lowering testosterone levels may reduce a man’s chances of getting prostate cancer.”

Demark-Wahnefried and her team learned about the potential cancer-reducing benefits of flaxseed during a study with 161 men. The men had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but had not started treatment. Each participant ate three tablespoons of flaxseed a day. This study and its results were published in the December 2008 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.

“While our study used three tablespoons a day, men who don’t have cancer but want to try flaxseed, probably don’t need that much,” Demark-Wahnefried says. “One tablespoon a day should be fine.”

How to prepare, store and buy flaxseed"
Flaxseed is sometimes difficult to digest in its whole form, but can be easily ground-up and used in a variety of dishes. Try using a coffee grinder or a blender to grind flaxseed. The European way to prepare the seed is to soak it in water until the seeds break.

Grinding flaxseed makes it more digestible and increases the amount of nutrients absorbed. While the inside of the seed is the nutritional powerhouse, the outside provides most of the seed’s fiber.

Store unused portions of ground flaxseed in a tightly sealed container and keep it in a cool, dark and dry place, like the refrigerator or freezer, to keep it from spoiling. Whole flaxseed can be stored for at least a month. When the seed is ground, it is best to use within a few days.

A sometimes forgotten plant-based food, flaxseed is nutritious, low-cost and readily available on grocery store shelves. Stores sell the seed in bulk, retailing for only a few dollars a pound, and as an ingredient in crackers, chips and baked goods. The stalk of the flax plant is actually used to make linen.

Although the idea of eating a product used to make your favorite summer pants might sound unappetizing, flaxseed’s mild, nutty flavor is relatively easy to add into your diet.

For additional information, including flaxseed recipes, visit http://www.mdanderson.org/focused.

About M. D. Anderson

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. M. D. Anderson is one of only 40 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute. For six of the past eight years, including 2009, M. D. Anderson has ranked No. 1 in cancer care in "America's Best Hospitals," a survey published annually in U.S. News & World Report.

(c)2009 The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

M.D.Anderson Remains At Top of Best Cancer Care Hospitals

Diabetes Med Metformin Reduces Pancreatic Cancer Risk 62%

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13Sep2009

Elevated Insulin Linked To Cancer

Sep 13, 2009

Suzy Cohen R.Ph.--

Dear Pharmacist,

I really need your help because I am now up to 14 medications for the following problems: High cholesterol, heart disease, pre-diabetes, cataracts, arrhythmias, allergies, memory problems and enlarged prostate (BPH). The medications make me sick and sleepy. The reason I am writing to you is because you always have a fresh perspective. Can you help me get off these medications?

-- C.P. Kansas City, Kansas

Answer: Fresh perspective is my middle name. I would never tell you to stop taking your medications, but your doctor might in the coming months, as you get well. Currently you take a lot of medicine for many conditions, which makes me wonder why they call it the “golden” years. Regardless, I’ve got big news about something you’ve probably never heard of before.

In the email you sent me, something stood out. No one has measured your serum insulin! You should ask your doctor to measure this for you. Based on my studies, I suspect that high insulin is one common denominator for many, if not all, of your medical concerns. For those who don’t realize, insulin is a pancreatic hormone that reduces blood sugar which rises in response to eating. Many physicians routinely measure your blood glucose, but not your insulin. The ratio of glucose to insulin is more valuable than the level of either one alone.

Chronically elevated insulin hormone has also been associated with Parkinson’s disease, nerve pain, and autoimmune diseases like lupus and cancer. Yes, cancer! Breast cancer and pancreatic cancer are connected to high insulin. And according to an August 2009 study published in The Journal of The National Cancer Institute - elevated insulin increases the risk for prostate cancer too.

How do you reduce insulin? The simplest way is free and totally up to you. Lose weight! Exercising helps you to reduce blood glucose levels. Even better, exercising makes your cells happy to see insulin, which improves insulin sensitivity.

Now, I’m going to say the unthinkable to many of you reading this. Eat a vegan diet, including more raw foods for just 30 days and see what glorious things take place. Caloric restriction and the consumption of nourishing foods (rather than soda, fast food and candy bars) can reduce insulin and pain-causing chemicals. It’s really not as hard as it sounds, and maybe a healthy diet is the solution for you, considering the current path you’re facing. With dietary compliance, your doctor may be able to discontinue some of your medications.

Certain supplements drive biochemical pathways in the body which tell your cells to burn fat and sugar, and that reduces insulin levels. These supplements include vitamin D, resveratrol, quercetin, lipoic acid, curcumin and L-arginine. The extended version of this column is posted at my website (www.DearPharmacist.com) and includes dosages, safety tips and information on how to take and interpret an insulin blood test.

Did You Know?

Caffeine-related jitters are intensified by birth control and synthetic estrogen-containing hormones used for menopause.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Any products mentioned or information within this column is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Suzy Cohen, R. Ph., is a licensed pharmacist with nearly 20 years of clinical experience. The author ofThe 24-Hour Pharmacist (HarperCollins, July '07) and Drug Muggers; she is "America's Most Trusted Pharmacist," and has helped millions of patients in various clinical settings, such as retail, hospital, nursing home pharmacies, and through her nationally syndicated column, "Dear Pharmacist." A former spokesperson for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Suzy Cohen is a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine, The Association of Natural Medicine Pharmacists and The American Pharmacists Association. You can subscribe to Suzy's free weekly newsletter or ask her a question at her DearPharmacist website.

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Prostate Cancer Risks: Age, Race, Family, And Now Weight Gain

Sep 1, 2009

Reviewed By Kelly Jad'on

Patrick Walsh, M.D., author of Guide To Surviving Prostate Cancer and Distinguished Service Professor of Urology--The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, is the world's foremost authority on prostate cancer. His book provides some striking news for men:

More than 200,000 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year.
27,000 will die in the U.S. from it this year.
Prostate cancer is the most common major cancer in men.
Because prostate cancer is silent, generally without symptoms, early detection is the key.
Men should begin being screened for prostate cancer at age 40.
When prostate cancer is small, it is curable.
More than 95% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are alive ten years later.

Dr. Walsh evaluates the three major risk factors--age, race, and family history. Prostate cancer is the scourge of older men (age 60-79) with a risk rate of 1 in 7 developing the cancer. The cancer frequently takes time to grow, over the course of decades.

The highest risk of prostate cancer hits African American men. Why this is, is not completely understood, but may involve genetic susceptibility, diet, and lack of vitamin D. Their cancers are also more likely to be severe types and recur.

Risk of prostate cancer grows higher with familial links. In fact, the risk is 2.5 times higher if your father or brother had prostate cancer. Hereditary prostate cancer, (possible risk of 50%) is believed to occur when three first degree family members had it, the disease shows itself in three generations, or if two relatives developed the disease earlier (less than age 55).

The most important action to take is to get screened, beginning at age 40. The PSA test can provide a baseline for later years. Dr. Walsh adds that those between the ages of 50 and 64 who die of prostate cancer, could very well have been saved if the disease had been caught while in their forties.

A recently released study from the online journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention (Sep 2009) has found that weight gain plays a major role in the development of prostate cancer.

Dr. Walsh includes a prevention chapter in his new second edition. He recommends men eat a minimum of five fruits and vegetables a day, especially focusing in on the cruciferous vegetables as cited from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli are examples of the type of vegetables which contain sulforaphane--an important anticancer ingredient which helps to increase potent enzymes in the body. In turn, the body is assisted in creating its own antioxidants to help ward off cancer.

Why Healthy Men Are Having Sex

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