Talking About Men's Health™

According to the 2009 National Healthcare Disparities Report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), “American men with prostate cancer were 25 percent less likely to die from the disease in 2006 than they were in 1999.”  “The rate at which American men died from prostate cancer declined from 31 deaths to 23.5 deaths per 100,000 males during the period.”[1]

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Dr. David Samadi appeared on FoxNew to discuss the new drug label warnings required by the FDA to labels on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists which are used to treat prostate cancer.

Dr. Samadi is the Medical Contributor to Talking About Men’s Health.  Learn more about Dr. Samadi or visit his website.

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The following post is paraphrased from one of my recent guest lectures. It sparked enormous debate and I was very pleased to see college students taking the initiative to discuss their health among peers. Although the topic was testicular cancer and testicular self-examination, I told the females in the class to parallel the discussion to breast cancer and breast self-examination.

…and so the lecture/discussion began:

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Great news for individuals suffering from prostate cancer and men’s health advocates everywhere, as this week the FDA-approved a new treatment for men with the advanced stage of the disease. The vaccine, called Provenge, is not a traditional preventive cancer vaccine (such as those for cervical cancer), but rather boosts the patient’s immune system to combat the already-diagnosed disease. The immunotherapy is derived from the patient’s own white blood cells, where antibodies are tailored to attack the tumor cells. Continue Reading

A few weeks ago I attended a workshop about raw food presented by Diana Stobo.  Diana is a culinary artist and raw food advocate who lives in Northern California.  Continue Reading

This past weekend, the Prostate Cancer Research Institute held its annual conference in Los Angeles, hosting over a dozen experts on prostate health and 600 participants.  According to PCRI volunteers, the purpose of the conference is to provide an avenue for those with prostate cancer and their loved ones to get more information about managing the disease.  The theme of this year’s event was “Making a Positive Impact on Quality of Life,” and among the topics discussed were the benefits and pitfalls of interventions such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and hormone therapy.  Understanding effective diet choices and dealing with erectile dysfunction as a consequence of certain treatment options were also highlights of the agenda.  Throughout the weekend, attendees were encouraged to ask specific questions of the speakers. 

It was also evident that this conference is a gathering place for support, where old friends and new ones have come to share their stories with each other – sometimes just to talk to someone who understands, and sometimes to share information that may be useful to another.  Many of these men have joined support groups in their own communities and have been strengthened by the understanding that they do not need to go through this alone.  Indeed, this is one of the big issues that men suffering from prostate cancer – and other health issues – must overcome.  We are not trained to seek help, but to solve problems in isolation.  On the other hand, drawing on the resources, knowledge and care of others – whether they be friends, family, medical professionals or those who simply understand what we are going through – is what gets both men and women through their most difficult health and life challenges.

Not coincidentally, the PCRI conference is held during September, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.  One of the big messages I heard from those who stopped at the MHN table during this event was that men need to start thinking about their prostate health – and their health in general – at a much earlier age than they do now.  One of our goals in educating men about their health must be to reach them with effective information and support, early and often, so that these messages stay with them as they mature. 

Those present at the event are certainly doing their best to get these messages across.  Since its founding in 1998, PCRI has contributed to a significant increase in the number of doctors involved in prostate cancer research, as well as public education about the disease.  The organization offers a quarterly newsletter with new developments in prostate cancer research, as well as a helpline for patients who need some support finding the right resources.  Their website, which includes a wealth of information about prostate cancer, can be found at http://www.prostate-cancer.org/.