James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 Starting at age fifty, you should also have a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. Men who have a family history of prostate cancer should begin PSA tests a little earlier, at age forty-five.
Pelvic exams: In addition to Pap tests, women should have yearly pelvic exams to check for ovarian cancer. A doctor will feel your ovaries and uterus to make sure they're healthy.
Skin exams: Everyone, even people who have avoided the sun, should have a skin exam during his or her yearly physical. It's also wise to perform a self-exam once every month. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 A blood test to detect elevated levels of a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is an excellent screening test for prostate cancer. PSA is currently the most valuable "tumor marker" available to diagnose and evaluate the effectiveness of therapy for prostate cancer. A PSA test result between 0 and 4 is considered to be within the normal range. A level between 4 and 10 may raise a doctor's suspicion, and scores above 50 may indicate a tumor that has spread to elsewhere in the body. |
Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
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 According to some clinical trials, saw palmetto extract does not appear to interfere with accurate measuring of prostate-specific antigen (PSA)—a marker for prostate cancer (page 371).11 One test tube study found that saw palmetto did not prevent the release of PSA from prostate cells.12 Saw palmetto is most effective in managing symptoms of BPH but has not been shown to aggressively shrink the size of the prostate. BPH can only be diagnosed by a physician (preferably a urologist). Use of saw palmetto extract for BPH should only occur after a thorough workup and diagnosis by a doctor. |
Amarjit S. Basra
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 Two cases with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer showed a favorable response to therapy with a traditional herbal compound (PL-SPES) comprising ginseng, licorice, isatis, chrysanthemum, saw palmetto, and scuttellaria. prostate-specific antigen levels were reduced to substantially lower levels, which were stable over a period of 4 to 12 months, and the treatment was well tolerated. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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| New research indicates that taking supplemental boron can shrink prostate tumor size, lower blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA, a marker for prostate cancer), and may help prevent prostate cancer. Boron alleviates joint discomfort by reducing levels of both COX-2 and LOX enzymes (see ARTHRITIS in Part Two) and helps to preserve cognitive function. Studies have shown that in areas of the world where the level of boron in the soil is low there are a greater number of people suffering from arthritis. A study conducted by the U.S. |
| Testing for prostatitis and enlarged prostate usually involves a digital rectal exam plus a blood test that screens for levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein secreted by the prostate.
The dosages given below are for adults.
NUTRIENTS
SUPPLEMENT SUGGESTED DOSAGE COMMENTS
Essential
Acidophilus (Kyo-Dophilus from Wakunaga)
As directed on label.
Breaks down metabolites of estrogen. Use a nondairy source.
Quercetin
1,200-2,000 mg daily.
An anti-inflammatory and antitumor flavonoid.
Selenium
As directed on label. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
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 Vitamin E interferes with two proteins (the receptot fot testostetone and prostate-specific antigen [PSA]). The fewet androgen receptors there are on a prostate cancet cell, the less capable the remaining receptots ate of tutning on genes that stimulate prostate cancet gtowth and progression. PSA serves as a good marker molecule for androgen receptor activity (Mercola 2002b).
• Washington State University announced that toco-ttienols, quite similat to a tocopherol (but for the addition of an unsatutated tail in its chemical structure), accumulate in adipose tissues, including mammary glands. |
| Study 4
"We present the case of a hypogonadal patient in whom a 20-fold increase in prostate-specific antigen and a palpable prostatic nodule developed 6 months into the administration of intramuscular testosterone" (217) (Cunan et al. Urology 1999 Feb; 53(2): 423-4. Study conducted at Department of Urology, Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, MA 01805).
Study 5
"The metabolic clearance and production rates of testosterone were significantly higher in (prostate cancer) patients than in controls. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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 Others point to screening for cancer-related prostate-specific antigen, which has enabled unusually early detection of the disease. Both factors probably play roles, though the incidence of prostate cancer was increasing dramatically even before the measurement of prostate-specific antigen was possible.
I've always enjoyed Brazil nuts. As a result of my work in the Amazon, I eat even more of the nuts than I used to, and I urge others to do the same. The harvesting of Brazil nuts helps preserve my beloved rain forest. |
Gary Null
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| Pirani reviewed the effects of PC-SPES herbal formula on prostate cancer and found that the prostate cancer marker prostate-specific antigen was lowered and quality of life was improved. Pirani felt that clinical trials have proven that PC-SPES is a valid treatment for prostate cancer but further study needs to be done to discover how, precisely, it works.67 Chenn at New York Medical College went on to do this, studying what doctors call the "mechanism of action" of PC-SPES, which contains seven herbs, and found that it is complex. |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 2Michael T. Murray, ND
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| Prostate-specific antigen
Because the symptoms of BPH and prostate cancer can be quite similar, measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is often used to differentiate BPH from the more serious prostate cancer. The PSA test is a highly accurate and sensitive marker for prostate cancer. The normal value for PSA is less than 4 ng/ml. An elevation above 10 is highly indicative of prostate cancer.
There has been concern that the use of PSA as a screening test for prostate cancer is not reliable enough. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
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| Cunently, most physicians who focus on PC as their main specialty will recommend routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing starting at age 40. This is important to establish objective findings that indicate a healthy prostate. In subsequent paragraphs, this will be shown to equate with a baseline PSA of less than 2.0 and often less than 1.0 ng/mL. In a population in which there is a family history of PC, such as has been described, PSA testing should be commenced at age 35 with yearly testing for a few years to establish a trend or profile. Then, if the PSA remains below 1. |
Neal Barnard, M.D.
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 If surgery is deferred, the physician can periodically monitor levels of PSA, prostate-specific antigen, which indicates changes in the tumor. prostate-specific antigen
PSA, a protein made within the prostate and secreted into semen, shows what the prostate is doing. If the gland is disrupted for any reason— surgery, biopsy, trauma, or cancer—PSA leaks into the bloodstream and easily shows up on a simple blood test. A low level of PSA is present in the blood of any man with a functioning prostate; higher levels alert physicians that a change of some type has occurred in the prostate. |
Mark Blumenthal
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 Pilot study of dietary fat restriction and flaxseed supplementation in men with prostate cancer before surgery: Exploring the effects of hormonal levels, prostate-specific antigen, and histopatho-logical features. Urology 2001;58:47-52.
Erasmus U. Personal communication to T. Kunz. 2001.
ESCOP. 1997. "Lini semen." Monographs on the Medicinal Uses of Plant Drugs. Exeter, U.K.: European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy; 1997.
Europdisches Arzneibuch, 3rd ed. (Ph.Eur.3). Stuttgart: Deutscher Apotheker Verlag; 1997.
Frances H, Monier C, Bourre J. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
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| The recommended "Male Panel" consists of a complete blood count (CBC)/ chemistry test, homocysteine, free testostetone, esttadiol, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and DHEA. The recommended "Female Panel" consists of the complete CBC/chemistry test, estradiol, progesterone, free testosterone, DHEA, and homocysteine.
In addition to these special male and female panels, the following tests are especially important for men and women over 40: Fasting Insulin, Fenitin, Cortisol, Fibrinogen, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), and Free triiodothytoxine (T3). |
Robert Hass, M.S.
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 PSA: See prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Pyridoxine: See Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).
Radiotherapy: Use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. Radiotherapy may be used externally (external beam) or internally (see Brachy-therapy).
Radical prostatectomy: A surgical procedure used to remove the entire prostate gland and seminal vesicles.
Radiosensitivity: The degree to which a type of cancer responds to radiotherapy.
Receptors: Sites on the outside of cells where particular messenger moltiation of cancerous tissue. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 Over 85 percent of the men in the study had lower blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), an indicator of prostate disorders, after two months on PC-SPES, although two men experienced nipple tenderness, and two men had blood clots in the leg requiring drug treatment. At the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, all eight men in another study experienced loss of libido, and at least one participant had blood clots requiring drug intervention, although all eight had lower PSA levels after treatment. |
| More prostate cancers are now detected at earlier stages because of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This blood test measures levels of a protein produced by the prostate.
Normally, PSA levels are very low, but they rise if a prostate disorder such as benign enlargement, infection, or cancer is present. The PSA test does not detect cancer as such, only high levels of PSA.
The exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown, although there is evidence that a high-fat diet may play a role in promoting its development. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 The blood test measures the levels of a protein that is produced in the prostate: prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The PSA test is regarded as a highly significant and sensitive marker for prostate cancer. The normal value for PSA is less than 4 nanograms per milliliter. A level above 10 ng/ml is highly indicative of prostate cancer.
There has been concern that the use of PSA as a screening test for prostate cancer is not reliable enough. |
| Another important finding from this study was that the saw palmetto extract had no demonstrable effect on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.
While the drug finasteride (Proscar) typically takes up to a year to produce significant benefits, saw palmetto extract produces better results in a much shorter period of time. Most patients achieve some relief of symptoms within the first thirty days of treatment with the saw palmetto extract (see Table 3).
Cernilton
Cernilton, an extract of flower pollen, has been used in Europe to treat prostatitis and BPH for more than thirty-five years. |
| Although an elevated level of prostate-specific antigen indicates prostate cancer about ninety percent of the time, it must be kept in mind that midrange elevations in PSA can be caused by BPH, and that in some instances there may be prostate cancer yet PSA levels are not elevated. Despite the fact that this test is not perfect, it is a simple, relatively noninvasive test that can provide valuable information. PSA screening has been endorsed by the American Cancer
Society, the American Urological Association, and other physicians' groups. |
Ralph Golan, M.D.
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 Treatment and Preventive Measures
CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL TREATMENT
• After the age of fifty, it is recommended that men have a yearly rectal exam to check for prostate enlargement, along with a prostate-specific antigen blood test for prostate cancer screening. Until recently, conventional medical treatment for benign prostate enlargement consisted of waiting until the enlargement and symptoms were serious enough to warrant surgery. Now the pharmaceutical drug Proscar™ is given to block the conversion of testosterone to DHT.
DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS
• Eat a whole-foods diet. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 In addition, the aged garlic reduced the body's production of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) which can cause prostate cells to grow. Higher than normal levels of PSA (over 4) may be a marker for prostate cancer or other problems. Prostate cancer is very common among older men, and there are few effective treatments. In fact, the treatment of choice is often no treatment, or a period of "watchful waiting" during which the patient is closely monitored by his physician. If the cancer stays contained, the patient may never need treatment. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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| LJ The introduction of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test has led to a jump in prostate cancer diagnoses. This test—which should be done annually, along with a digital exam, on all men over age forty-five—provides an early warning system for the potential development of cancerous growths in the prostate. PSA readings can produce false positive results; simply taking the blood sample for the PSA test a few minutes after a digital exam of the prostate can raise PSA levels. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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| Both factors probably play roles, though the incidence of prostate cancer was increasing dramatically even before the measurement of prostate-specific antigen was possible.
I've always enjoyed Brazil nuts. As a result of my work in the Amazon, I eat even more of the nuts than I used to, and I urge others to do the same. The harvesting of Brazil nuts helps preserve my beloved rain forest. |
J. Robert Hatherill
See book keywords and concepts |
 Detection comes in many forms: mammograms or X-rays for breast cancer, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, digital rectal exams for prostate cancer, Pap smears for cervical cancer, and ultrasonography, which is an imaging instrument used to detect some cancers. Standard tools of the trade include endoscopy, used to examine the esophagus and stomach; and sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy, procedures for observing the colon.
Everyone agrees that sensitive techniques to detect cancer do save lives. The sooner you detect a tumor, the more able you are to remove it. |
Zorba Paster, M.D. and Susan Meltsner
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 That's where the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test comes in. But the decision whether or not to have the test is actually one of the most controversial topics in medicine today. For starters, the test has some accuracy problems. For every hundred men tested, ten will have an elevated PSA level (more than 4 ng/ml), and of those ten, just three will turn out to actually have prostate cancer. For those men the blood test was not only wrong but also hazardous—they have to go through unnecessary procedures and undue anxiety before ultimately being told they don't have the disease. |
Doug Dollemore, Mark Giuliucci and the Editors of Men's Health Magazine
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 The only place that there is some hubbub is in the area of rectal examinations and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. "We don't recommend rectal examination," says Dr. Kamerow, "but some groups feel that starting at age 40, this should be a routine part of the checkup."
Dr. Goldberg is part of the "pro" group. "Beginning at age 40, every man should have a digital rectal exam every year. It's the first line in detecting prostate cancer, which is the second leading cancer in men," he says. At age 50, Dr. Goldberg also recommends screening for PSA. |
| That's why it's especially important for men over age 50 to get a digital rectal exam that lets a doctor feel for lumps on the prostate and a prostate-specific antigen blood test that detects a protein that seeps out of the prostate when there is a tumor present.
If cancer is discovered, your treatment will depend on several factors, including the size of the tumor, how fast it is growing and whether the disease has spread beyond the prostate. Treatments include radiation, surgical removal of the prostate and hormonal therapy to reduce testosterone levels. |
Robert S. McCaleb, Evelyn Leigh, and Krista Morien
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 Note: Saw palmetto does not affect standard blood tests or concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), so it will not interfere with the blood test for prostate cancer.16'17 If you are a man over the age of 40, schedule a yearly digital prostate exam to test for prostate enlargement. An annual blood test is also recommended if your family has a history of prostate cancer.
Dosage
Saw palmetto can be taken as a capsule, tablet, or tincture. It is much less effective as a tea because the active constituents are not water soluble. |
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