Steve:
I couldn't let this special day go by without sending this message off to you. My experience with prostate cancer has been most interesting journey. I was first diagnosed with it about 9 years ago. As you know, PSA is the marker usually used to track progression of the cancer. Mine was about 4.5 at the time of initial diagnosis. The first urologist I had did a biopsy with negative results. Somehow his somber manner and prognosis did not set well with me so I found another very well qualified urologist who had an excellent reputation locally. Again the biopsy but this time a finding of cancer. This was followed by numerous x-rays and a nuclear bone scan to determine if the cancer had spread. Results of that were negative. Thus, the cancer was thought to be local and confined to the prostate. The physician recommended removal of the prostate as the best alternative. Other alternatives were the implant of radioactive seeds and x-ray therapy. There was no discussion of drugs, diet or supplements. I wasn't familiar with the whole subject of PC, so I started on a long path to learn more including visits with several other physicians. Eventually, I decided not to submit to any of the recommended therapy actions - at least not initially.
The Internet and today's searching tools provide a wealth of information. I started to learn more about the effect of diet and the possibility that some supplements might be helpful. One physician I located believed in the use of supplements and made some changes in those as well as my diet. Yet, my PSA continued to climb. Along the way, I found your web site. The information was intriguing. I followed your recommendations, at least in part. Things were going fairly well until fall of 2007 when - soon after I switched from elements of the cytotoxic protocol to the immunotherapy protocol - my PSA increased significantly over a relative short period of time to 10.2. I regrouped, went back to elements of the cytotoxic protocol and started making changes in my supplements while maintaining a fairly restrictive diet with a lot of veggies and not so much fat. I also elected to purchase blood tests from Life Extension so I could track my PSA progress as I made those changes.
I continue to see the urologist every 6 months. There is and has been no evidence of a tumor. I ask the physician about various supplements and over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin and the answer is that from a clinical standpoint, none of those can be recommended. Want selenium? Then I should eat potatoes grown locally. They have a lot of selenium. Yet, surgery is still a good option. I have a lot of doubt about our medical community, at least from my perspective on PC. No need to go into great detail here and now, but some incremental changes in supplements seemed to help while others either made no difference or sent the trend in the wrong direction. My PSA over this year, until recently, was in the range of 9 to 10. In the last month, I made two changes. While I had been consuming dry flax seed for over 2 years, I have started mixing it in oatmeal or other hot cereals before cooking and then proceeded to get it up to temperature with the cereal. The other change, which took place just 2 days before my last PSA test (this time with a different lab) was to switch from Se-Methyl-selenocysteine to sodium selenite. I doubt two days of this could have any impact. Nevertheless, this time the PSA was back down to 8 which is were it was at one point early this year. But, is the change due to the lab methods or perhaps one of the above mentioned changes? Time will tell. I'll proceed carefully and keep you informed. There is much more to tell, but neither that detail nor the technical content above is the purpose of this message. That last lab result was a nice Christmas present for me. But the fact is that I'd never have known about some of the supplement and diet consequences had it not been for my good fortune in locating your web site. So, here's to thank you for your efforts. Hope this brings some Christmas cheer to you as well.
Merry Christmas! David
COMMENTARY
As cancers go, there is something unique about prostate cancer that allows it to be controlled by dietary factors. This applies to both the prevention of PC and its treatment. Consider the following.
Pomegranate juice contains a host of polyphenols that directly impair prostate cancer growth. They probably impair the growth of many cancers, but their lnk to controlling prostate cancer growth is well established.
The following article can be read online. Click the yellow box. It's a great read.
Pomegranate juice is now commonly available in stores. You can also purchase pomegranate wine from a number of suppliers. Pomegranate wine is fabulous if poured over a high quality vanilla ice cream.
So now you know.
Stay tuned...
Grouppe Kurosawa, Medicine in the Public Interest
I find the Pom brand common in local stores VERY expensive per glass and per month.
So I use Brownwood Acres' pom concentrate by the quart:
http://www.brownwoodacres.com/pomegranate_juice_concentrate.htm
BA has other berry concentrates.
From everything I've read, we cancer people can't get enough of colored fruit and veg, the more color, the better.
Posted by: satx2 | December 27, 2008 at 08:40 AM
If you have any other type of cancer antioxidants are verbotten, correct Dr. Martin?
Pomegranate juice is not part of any cytotoxic protocol correct?
Thanks
Larry
Posted by: Larry B | December 27, 2008 at 10:07 AM
This is a really informative article on Prostate Cancer and Nutrition. Indeed this is becoming a grave problem in the present days. Thanks for the links as well.
Posted by: Electronic Medical Records | May 22, 2009 at 05:20 AM