New Ways To Treat Prostate Cancer

pomegranate juiceThe prostate is a part of the male reproductive organ. Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer.

This form of cancer is so common that one in six men get prostate cancer.

The older men become, the more likely they are to develop prostate cancer. The incidence of this disease is mostly determined by genetics and environmental factors like diet and healthy lifestyle.

This cancer can cause complications such as problems with urination and erectile dysfunction.

Latest developments with prostate cancer

Researchers have recently used genetics in order to learn a great deal about prostate cancer. These researchers have identified many of the genetic mutations that might lead to prostate cancer. The ultimate goal is to develop better medicines that can treat prostate cancer.

From what researchers understand currently, many prostate cancer sufferers inherited traits from one or more parents that likely caused the prostate cancer if the environment was not already a factor.

One DNA strand, inherited from an individual’s mother, can triple the chance of prostate cancer. More rapid discoveries in genetics might occur as scientists develop better genetics technology.

Food discoveries

Researchers are discovering all sorts of foods that can potentially decrease the incidence of prostate cancer. Two super foods that effectively prevent prostate cancer are soybeans and tomatoes [Cancer fighting foods].

Researchers are wondering if some of the attributes of tomatoes and soy beans can be extracted in order to create superior prostate cancer preventative supplements. Studies have also shown that Vitamin E and selenium are effective in preventing prostate cancer.

More recent studies have found that pomegranate juice helps lower prostate cancer rates. Daily flaxseed has also been shown to slow the rate in which prostate cancer cells multiply.

Vegetarian diets and heavy exercise have been shown to reduce prostate cancer symptoms even after the patient has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Diagnosis

Prostate cancer researchers have discovered better ways to identify prostate cancer by using Doppler Ultrasound. Also, by injecting the patient with micro bubbles, prostate cancer detection is even more reliable.

Treatments for prostate cancer

New prostate cancer treatment studies have mostly focused on developing improvements in surgery,  cancer radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and angiogenesis inhibitors.

Surgeons are trying to develop ways to restore male potency after surgery, since prostate surgery often destroys nerves that are responsible for erections. Radiation therapy developments are being made to make radiation therapy more precise, leading to fewer side effects.

One of the newest treatments developed to treat prostate cancer uses high-intensity focused ultrasound to heat and destroy cancer cells. Better hormone blockers have been developed to fight the prostate’s ability to create testosterone.

For chemotherapy, several new drugs like satraplatin, calcitrol and Taxotere have been found to reduce prostate cancer and increase the lifespan of prostate cancer sufferers.

Vaccines are actually being developed that might cure prostate cancer. Also, angiogenesis inhibitors have been found to fight many forms of tumors by blocking oxygen to these tumors. These inhibitors have been shown to be effective against prostate cancer.