Middle Age Men: Who you see for your prostate influences your eventual treatment; the benefits of flaxseed

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men after skin cancer, with 235,000 new cases diagnosed last year and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men.

Men diagnosed with prostrate cancer face different treatment options (specifically surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and "watchful waiting"). Complicating factors is that there is generally no evidence that either treatment is superior. While prostate treatments are usually successful, there are enormous differences in what the patient will experience afterward and possible side-effects.

So how does a man choose which treatment is right for him? It turns out the path taken has a lot to do with the type of medical professional consulted.

According to a new study released at the American Society for Clinical Oncology, men with early prostate cancer who consult only one doctor—a urologist—overwhelming opt for surgery to remove the prostate. By contrast, those who consult both a urologist and radiation oncologist usually end up having radiation therapy instead.

According to Deb Schrag, MD, a medical oncologist and health services researcher in Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the study’s senior author:

"The treatments for early stage prostate cancer have different side effects, different recovery profiles, and involve a different commitment of time. It is imperative that men be advised about the details of all options so that they can make an informed decision that is right for them."

What's a guy to do? "The best treatment is the one that the informed patient feels comfortable with," says co-lead author Dr. Thomas Jang.

While on the subject of prostate cancer, and for something that will ultimately touch 1 in 6 men this is a subject we all touch on often, there is new research indicating that Flaxseed consumption may stunt the growth of prostate tumors.

Flaxseed, an edible seed that is rich in omega 3-fatty acids and fiber-related compounds known as lignans, is effective in halting prostate tumor growth, according to a study led by Duke University Medical Center researchers. The seed, which is similar to a sesame seed, may be able to interrupt the chain of events that leads cells to divide irregularly and become cancero

Flaxseed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, a fiber found on the seed coat. It is available in pretty much any health food or natural food store, including Whole Foods Markets. The prostate benefit results are still preliminary and require further studies, but flaxseed is healthy food with a lot of vitamins and a lot of fiber so it is not a bad thing to have as part of a healthy diet anyway.

(This story was also reported in Reuters Health.)

External tags: prostate cancer flaxseed