As part of my osteopathy curriculum in the
late 1960s at Johannesburg College, in South Africa, I was taught the benefits
of various electromedical interventions such as galvanic and faradic currents,
shortwave diathermy and ultra-sound therapy. I remember how the class tutor for
ultrasonography extolled the virtues of ultrasound therapy for prostate cancer,
and paraded before us students a variety of patients who had apparently gone
into remission after receiving the treatment.
Yet, although I have continued to keep the
ultrasound apparatus to hand in my clinic, I have never used it because the
evidence appeared to be entirely too anecdotal. This now appears to have changed.
In a new study of 172 men with
organ-confined cancer of the pros-tate, the patients were treated with
high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and discharged five hours (on average)
later.
HIFU uses high-frequency sound-waves to
kill cancer cells by heating small areas of tissue to tempera-tures of 80 to 90
degrees C.
Remarkably, the researchers could find no
evidence of disease in more than 90 per cent of the patients after just one
HIFU session. What’s more, the men experienced far fewer adverse effects than
seen with conventional surgery or radiotherapy: there were no reports of any
bowel problems; only 1 per cent suffered inconti-nence and about 35 per cent
experienced impotence. With surgery or radiotherapy, up to 20 per cent become
incontinent and around 50 per cent are impotent.
The authors concluded that HIFU is a
minimally invasive, day-case technique that can achieve good outcomes in the
short term. However, long-term outcomes still require further evaluation in
much larger numbers of patients (Br J Cancer, 2009; 101: 19–26).
So, although more research is needed, it
appears that this simple, virtually non-invasive ultrasound treatment may be
better than the currently available treatments for prostate cancer. (Please
note that my ultrasound equipment is differ-ent from the HIFU used in the
trial). Nevertheless, other alterna-tives to surgery and radiotherapy may be
useful, too.
Cancer-fighting nutrients
One of the most effective support nutrients
is lycopene, which gives tomatoes their red colour, and is also the main source
of carotene in the diet of most Europeans. However, lycopene is also found in
paw-paw (papaya), pink grapefruit, red paprika, rosehips, strawberries,
cranberries, watermelon, Galia melons, peri-peri, guava, pimiento peppers,
harissa, plums, damsons, raspberries, bell peppers, peaches, cherries and
apricots, to name but a few.
In the reddest fruits and vege-tables,
lycopene concentrations may be as high as 60 mg/kg, but may be as low as 5
mg/kg in the more yellow versions of the same fruits and vegetables. Lycopene
is relatively stable during cooking and food-processing. It’s also a potent
scavenger of free radicals, hence its anti-cancer effects. Being eaten with
pumpkinseed oil improves its uptake (Cancer Res, 1999; 59: 1225–30).
Supplementing lycopene along with vitamin E
may also have therapeutic effects against prostate cancer. When 26 men with
localized prostate cancer were given either 15 mg of lycopene and vitamin E
twice a day or no supplementation (controls) for three weeks, PSA levels were
decreased by 18 per cent in the supplemented group, but increased by 14 per
cent in the controls (Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1998; 250: 582–5).
When vitamin E levels are adequate, I
generally recommend 30 mg/day of lycopene to slow the growth of prostate
cancer.
Besides lycopene and vitamin E, a number of
rigorous-ly conducted scien-tific studies have shown protective effects against
the development of prostate cancer, as well as the slowing of any further
growth of established prostate cancer, with the addition into the diet (or
supplementation) of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium (Br J Cancer, 1999; 81:
1238–42; Br J Urol, 1998; 81: 730–4).
Other essential supplements that appear to
work against prostate cancer are calcium D-glucarate, indole-3-carbinol and
ground linseed (called ‘flaxseed’ in the US).
Men who have been prescribed antihormonal
drugs, such as Casodex (bicalutamide)
or Eulexin (flutamide), would do well to take extra calcium, and engage in
weight-bearing and resistance exercise in the gym to prevent osteoporosis.
Lifestyle changes
Studies also suggest that avoiding smoking
tobacco and cannabis, cutting down on alcohol and exercising regularly may
reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Furthermore, there have been so many
convincing studies linking diet and prostate cancer that Dr William Fair (who
died of colon cancer in 2002) and his colleagues suggested more than a decade
ago that prostate cancer should perhaps be considered a “nutritional disease”
(Urology, 1997; 50: 840–8). In fact, dietary factors are known to alter
sex-hormone levels, detoxication mechanisms and the entire antioxidant status
of the body in general.
Harald Gaier
Harald Gaier, a registered naturopath,
osteopath, homeopath and herbalist, practises at The Allergy and Nutrition
Clinic, 22 Harley Street, London, and the Irish Centre of Integrated Medicine,
Co. Kildare (www.drgaier.com).
Vol. 20 05 August 2009