- The prostate is part of the male reproductive system
- Its most important function is to produce a fluid that transports sperm
- A concern of prostate cancer is that men usually don’t experience symptoms in the early stages
According to the World Cancer Research Fund, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in men. The 2016 National Cancer Registry stated that the lifetime risk for men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in South Africa is 1 in 17. This is in accordance with global statistics showing a significant increase in occurrence.
The prostate is a small gland found in die male reproductive system, just below the bladder. The prostate’s most important function is to produce a fluid that plays a part in the formation of semen.
Some of the risk factors for prostate cancer include age, ethnicity, a family history of prostate cancer, obesity, being overweight, and an overall unhealthy lifestyle. It is, therefore, important to start screening sooner rather than later.
Symptoms and screening
What is concerning about prostate cancer is that, in the early stages of this disease, men usually do not experience any symptoms. Only at a later stage, some symptoms can appear such as frequent or painful urination, difficulty to start or stop urination, painful ejaculation, and blood appearing in the urine or semen.
A more advanced cancer can cause pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs. It is, therefore, especially important to get screened annually to detect any problems as soon as possible.
This is done by a doctor doing a digital rectum exam and getting a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. PSA is a protein that is produced by both cancerous and non-cancerous prostate tissue and high levels are associated with prostate cancer.
However, there can be other reasons for PSA levels to appear high such as inflammation of the prostate and non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate.
Despite this, it is still considered to provide a good starting point to the early detection of prostate cancer so that you can get all the help you need as soon as possible. A PSA test can be done by most CANSA care centres.
A biopsy of the prostate gland remains the only conclusive diagnosis, as it can detect cancerous cells, but will only be performed if cancer is suspected.
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The role of lifestyle
Smoking, overconsumption of alcohol and a sedentary lifestyle are all factors contributing to an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. Obesity is also a big risk factor for both the development and progression of this disease.
The good news, however, is that studies have found that vigorous activity, like jogging, biking, swimming, or any other activity that gets your heart pumping, is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
According to the WHO, you should do about 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week.
Nutritional do’s and don’ts
Nutrition plays a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.
A typical western diet characterised by a high consumption of red and processed meat, fried foods, fast foods, full cream dairy products, refined starchy foods and sugars and a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, plant oils, fish, nuts seeds, legumes and whole grains can increase your risk significantly.
Lycopene is the pigment that gives foods like tomatoes, guava, papaya, ruby grapefruit, and watermelon their red colour. This red pigment act as a powerful antioxidant that inhibits the growth of certain cancer cells and is, therefore, one of the most studied nutrients in prostate cancer research.
Tomatoes are especially high in lycopene and were found to be better absorbed when heated and consumed with oil, making tomato paste, tomato sauces and other tomato products a great source of this nutrient.
Research has shown that men who consume between 9 and 21mg of lycopene a day reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer. There is 19mg of lycopene in ¼ cup of tomato paste, 17mg in ½ cup of tomato puree, and 7mg in one cup of cooked tomatoes.
It was also found that men who consumed more tomato products prior to their diagnosis had a better quality of blood vessels in their prostate tumours, which was an indication of a better health outcome.
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Should you take supplements?
When it comes to nutrients, a food first approach is always the golden standard. For best absorption, functionality and bioavailability in the body, nutrients work synergistically.
This means that tomato products contain additional nutrients that offer better functionality of lycopene compared to lycopene taken in isolation via a supplement.
Supplements can, however, be beneficial for some individuals who do not like tomato-based products.
Currently, there is no conclusive evidence that a supplement consisting of a single nutrient may offer protection against prostate cancer, and sometimes supplementing with a single nutrient can cause more harm than good.
Having a nutrient deficiency is obviously not good, but too high levels of a certain nutrient can be very harmful as well.
The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) evaluated the effect of vitamin E and selenium supplementation on the development of prostate cancer. They found that men who already had high levels of selenium at the starting point, had a 91% increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
They also found that the high levels of Vitamin E increased the risk in men for developing prostate cancer. It is therefore better to talk to your dietitian about the suitability of supplementation.
Putting it all together
If you focus on including a minimum of five portions of fresh colourful fruits and vegetables, use tomato-based products, swap your saturated fats for unsaturated fats, limit red and processed meat, keep active and maintain a healthy weight, you can lower your risk for developing prostate cancer significantly.
To lose weight effectively, it is best to contact your dietitian. A dietitian is able to create an individual eating plan, menu, recipes, and shopping list that suits your lifestyle, budget, and cultural food preferences. They would also be able to provide the support to facilitate adherence to a plan to achieve your goal weight.
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References:
CANSA: Men & Cancer
Lycopene and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Prostate Cancer Progression and Mortality: A Review of Diet and Lifestyle Factors
Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Prostate Cancer Risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)
US Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
WHO: Health Promotion – Physical Activity
Image credit: Mohamed Hassan, Pixabay
