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Newsbytes Archive - 2000

Prostate Cancer Awareness Week (pcaw.org) has compiled newsbytes on the prostate. Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is September, and Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, the period set aside for free or low-cost screenings, runs September 13-19, 2004. Information about the Prostate is added weekly. Disclaimer


Castration Alternative Works Well, Spares Libido


An alternative to castration appears to be just as effective in promoting survival in men with advanced prostate cancer while resulting in reduced side effects such as impotence, a new study reveals
Source: www.oncology.com/v2_MainFrame/1,1614,_12%7C00263%7C00_20%7C001%7C00_18%7C006711%7C00_19%7C006712,00.html

Herbs Take a Whack at Prostate Cancer: Men with fewest options seem to benefit most


A mixture of Chinese herbs may offer hope to men with prostate cancer that hasn't responded to conventional medicine. Hundreds or perhaps thousands of men nationally are using the herbs, marketed as PC-SPES, say medical experts. PC stands for prostate cancer and SPES are the first four letters of the Latin word for hope. The herbs seem to work as well as conventional hormone therapies, which reduce testosterone and arrest the growth of prostate cancer, though with some dangerous side effects, says a new study by California researchers. But more exciting, they say, is that the herbs halted the growth of cancer for some men who previously had not responded to hormone therapy at all.

Mayors Launch Coalition for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education


The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) has recently launched the Coalition for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education. Supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other organizations, the program will promote awareness and informed decision-making about prostate cancer, especially among African-Americans.

The Coalition was started thanks to the efforts of Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb. For more information, contact Richard C. Johnson, Director of USCM Health Programs, 1620 Eye Street, NW, 3rd floor, Washington, DC 20006 or 202.861.6753 or rjohnson@usmayors.org

Prostate Cancer Climb - January, 2001


In early 2001, a group of men dedicated to fighting prostate cancer will climb Mount Aconcagua, Argentina , one of the highest peaks in the world. Located in Mendoza, Argentina, Mount Aconcagua rises 7,000 meters above sea level and offers climbers breathtaking beauty as well as serious climbing challenges.

Nine climbers and 12 trekkers will scale the mountain. All of them have been personally touched by prostate cancer. A few are prostate cancer survivors. Many have close friends or relatives in treatment for the disease. Several have lost loved ones to prostate cancer. All of them are "amateur" climbers - and are spending this year getting ready for this physically taxing challenge. The climb will take almost three weeks, and will be professionally led by SUMMITS Adventure Travel, a premier leader in the climbing industry.

The Prostate Cancer Climb is the inspiration of Dr. Terry Weyman, who lost his father to prostate cancer 10 years ago. The project is primarily a volunteer effort, and is affiliated with the Prostate Cancer Research Institute in order to provide the structure, accountability and recommendations on allocation of funding necessary for success.

Each climber will raise money to cover their individual costs for the climb, approximately $5,000 each. They will also solicit pledges for the "Prostate Cancer Climb" fund. Corporate, community and individual pledges are also being solicited to help reach our goal of raising $1,000,000 to help fight prostate cancer.

This is a low-overhead project, with the primary goal being to raise $1 million to benefit prostate cancer research and public education. The overall budget of the Prostate Cancer Climb is $1.3 million. It will take approximately $300,000 to produce the climb (inclusive of climbers' costs) and the remaining $1 million is the amount that will be donated to research and education about prostate cancer. www.prostatecancerclimb.com/

NFL Support Breast Cancer Research


On Tuesday, October 24, 2000 the NFL's Breast Cancer Awareness Day, the NFL will donate $5 for every person that logs onto www.nfl.com and then clicks on "NFL For Her". They will donate up to $50,000 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. (Editor: We appplaud this act by the NFL but sure wish they cared that much about the equal number of men who will die this year because there is no cure and very little funding of research regarding prostate cancer.) Learn More

Grosse Pointe is Gross


Grosse Pointe is a thinly veiled spoof of Beverly Hills 90210 from a behind-the-scenes viewpoint and airs on the WB Friday evenings. In the 10/13 episode one of the actors, who is played as being a bit too old for the character he plays, decides to become a spokesman for prostate cancer. He is seen showing off a poster for a benefit run with a picture of him on it. The name of the run is 'Lift Your Legs for Prostate Cancer'. Later in the show one of the female characters 'encourages' him by saying "Good luck with that ass cancer thing". Finally, there's a fake PSA at the end of the show where the male character and another male actor exchange the following dialogue:

Male Character: "The normal prostate is the size of an apple seed."

Male actor: "However, left unchecked, cancer can cause it to grow to the size of a peach pit."

This material offensive and insulting to men in general and prostate cancer sufferers in particular? The most galling thing about this is that the show thinks they are being edgy and offbeat by offering this kind of humor. Can you imagine the reaction if they had made similar jokes about breast cancer or AIDS? There would be no need for this email because the show would be off the air by now. Hal McCown

If you want to express your displeasure, www.wb.com/pages/help/help_feedback.jsp

Prostate Cancer - What the choices are and how they can affect your life


A story in this issue of U.S. News & World Report talks about the dilemmas that early detection of prostate cancer brings with it a blessing and a burden, forcing more and younger men to weigh the difficult treatment options. (Editor:  Has the medical community stepped out of the fight as incident rates and deaths of men continue increasing?)

Urine Test Might Detect Prostate Cancer


With HMO's often recommending against tests for prostate cancer, and organizations like the American Cancer Society saying, discuss the options with your health care professional to see if it is appropriate, while they remain adiment that women get exams for breast cancer, research on a cancer that is expected to strike one out of every six men in the U.S. plods along, severily under-funded. A report, from the American Association for Cancer Research in San Francisco, however, reports on a project that is going on at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. "It is likely that there are cancer cells in the body fluids years before cancer is clinically detectable."  They have shown that finding cancer cells in urine is feasible and the technology used to detect small cancers when we have only a few cancer cells in the body is only going to get better.

Are Men With Vasectomies At Greater Risk For Prostate Cancer?


Ellen: After researching vasectomies on your Web site, I am worried. On the National Cancer Institute's link I found a claim that vasectomies are associated with higher rates of prostate cancer. My husband is scheduled for a vasectomy tomorrow; there's nothing like last minute research!

Dr. Dean: It's funny that you're doing the research and he's not.

Ellen: Well, he asked me to.

Dr. Dean: Ah-ha, chicken. I can definitively say to you that vasectomies do not cause prostate cancer. He should have no fear whatsoever about that. But at one point there was research that suggested a connection.

A couple of studies did find that men with vasectomies had more prostate cancer. Of course, the National Cancer Institute was very interested in these studies, but once news goes into a database on the Internet, it can stay there forever.

Our Web site is huge. The last time I checked we had 40,000 pages, because we want to share information with you. However, keeping material updated can be a challenge.

With further searching, I think you will find that subsequent studies indicate that "detection bias" skewed the earlier reports. Here is how detection bias works.

A man getting a vasectomy will see a urologist. As part of the pre-vasectomy physical, the urologist is going to put his finger where the sun don't shine and examine the patient's prostate. Therefore, prostate cancer is going to be detected more often in men getting vasectomies than in other men. Thus, it appears that men getting vasectomies have more prostate cancer.

There is some research, that is still inconclusive, indicating that primates (monkeys) with vasectomies, may have higher cholesterol levels and greater risk factors for heart disease.

We have NOT found vasectomies to increase heart attacks in humans. Nevertheless, because primates are so close to us, the question, however minimal, lingers.

The question wouldn't stop me from having a vasectomy if I needed one. When I did need one, I didn't do it; and that's why I've got so many kids. And, of course, I'm glad I did.

I tell you in all honesty, Ellen, that when a couple wants permanent birth control, a vasectomy for a man is a much smarter way to go than for the woman to have a tubal ligation. So, I congratulate him. www.healthcentral.com/drdean/deanfulltexttopics.cfm?id=12091

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The 1990 Unofficial Census reported more than 20.5 million Americans wear diapers.11 million of them adults.

Approvimately 90% of adults can be treated or cured of incontinence but haven't sought professional help.



Disclaimer: pcaw.org is produced by the National National Men's Resource Center. This web site seeks to inform and educate men on the many issues that confront them today regarding the possible dangers of prostate cancer. Information presented in this free web site does not necessarily represent the official position of NMRC. Moreover, information in pcaw.org is culled from diverse web sites and information sources. NMRC cannot guarantee the accuracy of these sources. Due to the timeliness of the information, some links will change and/or deactivate without notice.

Information is designed for educational purposes. We are not engaged in rendering medical or psychological advice or professional services. Any decisions should be made in conjunction with your physician or therapist. We will not be liable for any complications, injuries or other medical accidents arising from or in connection with, the use of or reliance upon, any information on our web site.


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