Download THE PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVAL PRESENTATION

Representing CPCN from the local support group:
Bob Shiell, president CPCN
and ProstAid Calgary
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If women got prostate cancer….
…everyone would know about it!
 Breast cancer and prostate cancer have the
same rate of incidence, yet breast cancer
receives much more press!
 Women are motivated to talk
about their health concerns,
and rally for support.
 Men are motivated to find
excuses to ignore their
health concerns, and hide.
The difference between
women and men
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Where is the prostate, anyway?
 Surrounds
upper part of
urethra
 Size and
texture of a
small ripe plum
Possible levels of prostate cancer
at diagnosis
Lymph
Local-regional disease spread
Node
Other organs
PROSTATE
GLAND
Tumor
Systemic
Tumor
CAPSULE
Spread
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The risk is bigger than you think…
 1 in 6 Canadian men will be
diagnosed with prostate cancer
in their lifetime.
 It is the most common cancer
in Canadian men - an estimated
22,300 were diagnosed in 2006.
 Only lung cancer takes more lives: an
estimated 4,300 Canadian men died
from prostate cancer in 2006.
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It’s not an old man’s disease…
 Men in their forties are at risk.
 Risk increases with age:
30-39 . . . . . . . . . . 5
Breakdown
of estimated
22,300 cases
(some figures
rounded off)
40-49 . . . . . . . . 340
50-59 . . . . . . . 3500
60-69 . . . . . . . 8000
70-79 . . . . . . . 7000
80+ . . . . . . . . 3400
 A man over 50 is 3x more likely
to die from prostate cancer than
be killed in a car accident.
Not just
this guy!
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The trick is catching it early…
 95% of prostate cancer is curable if detected
and treated in the early stages.
 There are no symptoms in the early stages so
it’s essential to check the prostate every year
via two tests available through a doctor.
To ignore the risk of
prostate cancer is
equivalent to…
Things you don’t learn from the
Discovery Channel
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 A man is 1,200 times more likely to die from
prostate cancer than be killed by lightning.
 Men who have actually been struck by lightning
– and lived to talk about it – will say it took them
“by surprise.” So will men who are diagnosed
with prostate cancer.
Things you don’t learn from the
Discovery Channel
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 A man is 108,000 times more likely to die from
prostate cancer than be lunch for a shark.
 Sharks are what they eat and so are humans.
Men who choose to eat less red meat/dairy
and more vegetables/fruit may reduce their
risk of developing advanced prostate cancer.
Things you don’t learn from the
Discovery Channel
 A man is 900 times more likely to die from
prostate cancer than be killed in a mountain
climbing accident.
 To have your prostate
checked takes only
10 minutes, far less
time than it takes to
climb a mountain.
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Things you don’t learn from the
Discovery Channel
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 Unlike a snake bite, prostate cancer doesn’t
give you blurred vision and a rapid pulse.
 In fact, prostate cancer has no symptoms in its
early stages. That’s why early detection is so
important.
This is
too easy.
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Prostate Cancer Survival Checklist
 See your doctor once a year to have your
prostate checked.
 See your doctor sooner, if you have
symptoms of prostate trouble!
 Eat more nutritious foods.
 Take a multi-vitamin daily.
 Watch your weight.
 Exercise.
 Know your PSA score!
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Prostate Cancer Survival Checklist
 Don’t wait to see a doctor if you experience
prostate trouble e.g.,*
 Changes in urination habits
or flow
 Erectile difficulties
 Pain in the pelvis, hips or
lower back
 Prostate trouble is a warning
sign but not confirmation of
prostate cancer!
*Not a complete list of symptoms!
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Prostate Cancer Survival Checklist
 What is the right age?
Oh,
you’re
fine.
 Start talking to your doctor about your prostate
at age 40.
 Take a single PSA test at age 40 to establish a
benchmark for comparison.
 Continue to have your prostate checked once
a year.
 Know your PSA score! Ask your doctor for a
number even if he says you’re “fine”!
*The meaning of a PSA score depends on
many factors, so don’t compare your score to
anybody else’s – only your own benchmark!
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Prostate Cancer Survival Checklist
 What are the risk factors?
 Age: risk increases with age.
Me, too, Dad
 Race: men of African or Caribbean descent are
more likely to be diagnosed than Caucasians.
 Family history: the risk doubles if one close
relative (i.e, father, brother) has it. With two close
relatives, the risk increases 5 to 10 times.
 Diet: some studies suggest that a high-fat diet,
particularly red meat and dairy
products, stimulates the growth
of prostate cancer cells.
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What to say to opponents of the
PSA test…
 Yes, we need a better test!
 The PSA test is not perfect. There are “false
positives” and “false negatives,” meaning it can
say you have prostate cancer when you don’t,
and say you don’t have prostate cancer when
you do.
 Still, it works, it saves lives and countless
prostate cancer survivors are thankful.
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What to say to opponents of the
PSA test…
 Since widespread use of the PSA test began
in 1991:
 5-year survival rates have risen from 75% to
99%.
 The incidence of advanced prostate cancer at
the time of diagnosis has decreased by 75%.
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Prostate Cancer Survival Checklist
 Eat 5 servings of fruit and veggies per day.
 More richly coloured fruits and vegetables
 More “cruciferous” vegetables – broccoli,
cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts
 More tomatoes and cooked tomato
products (e.g. sauce)
 More garlic, onions, shallots
 Key words: phytochemicals,
anti-oxidants, lycopene,
glucosinolates, allyl sulphides
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Prostate Cancer Survival Checklist
 Other diet tips:
 More fibre - at least 25 grams per day
 Less red meat and less saturated fat
 No 2% or whole milk; only skim or soy milk
 More omega 3 fatty acids e.g. nuts
and fish (not fried!) such as salmon
 More soy protein (25 grams/day)
and ground flaxseed (1-2 tbsp/day)
 More green tea
 Key words: Isoflavones (soy),
Polyphenols (tea)
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Prostate Cancer Survival Checklist
 Take a multivitamin daily.
 While it’s better to get essential nutrients
through food, vitamins can help bolster your
daily intake. Focus on:
 Vitamin C and E
 Vitamin D (supplements are essential in the
winter season when sunlight is minimal)
 Selenium
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What’s wrong with this picture?
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What to know about treatment
 The right treatment for each man depends on the
individual case. For early cancer that has not
spread outside the prostate gland or nearby area,
the options are:
 “Active surveillance”: defer treatment and watch
closely for signs of progression.
 Surgery: remove the prostate via a radical prostatectomy
or laparoscopic surgery.
 Radiation: kill cancer cells with external beam radiation,
or by implanting tiny radioactive seeds.
 Other: freeze cancer cells with
cryotherapy or heat them with
HIFU (High Intensity Focused
Ultrasound).
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What to know about treatment
 Depending on the treatment and the
individual, side effects can range from
short to long term incontinence or
impotence, to other effects such as
pain and depression.
 Untreated, prostate cancer is fatal.
Side effects, although a concern, do
not outweigh the benefits of treatment.
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What to know about treatment
 For prostate cancer that returns after initial
therapy, the options depend on the case.
 Some may require observation, some ‘salvage’
radiation treatment and some may proceed to
hormone therapy.
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What to know about treatment
 For advanced or metastatic prostate cancer,
the options include:
 Hormone Therapy: starve the cancer cells of
testosterone with drugs that inhibit testosterone
production.
 Chemotherapy: take medications that are toxic
to cancer cells. Generally used to treat cancers
that have become resistant to hormone therapy.
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What to know about treatment
 All patients have these options:
 Complementary and alternative medicines
 Some patients try treatments in addition to, or
instead of conventional treatments.
 Investigational treatment
 Some patients enroll in research studies known
as clinical trials, to try promising new therapies
or techniques.
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Get checked, get educated
 For more information:
 www.cpcn.org
 www.prostaid.org
 Our prostate cancer support group meets
 Time: 7:30 PM on the 2nd Tuesday of the month
 Place: Foothills Hospital Auditorum
 It’s free and everyone is welcome!
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