While men may not be able to run the risk of prostate cancer, lifestyle can matter in the aggressiveness of the cancer, the researchers said. Photo by qimono / Pixabay
Genes may put some men at higher risk for prostate cancer, but a new study suggests they can undo much of this potential damage with a healthy lifestyle.
The researchers found that among men at higher genetic risk for prostate cancer, those who maintained a healthy lifestyle were much less likely to die from the disease for nearly three decades.
Genes may put some men at higher risk for prostate cancer, but a new study suggests they can undo much of this potential damage with a healthy lifestyle.
The researchers found that among men at higher genetic risk for prostate cancer, those who maintained a healthy lifestyle were much less likely to die from the disease for nearly three decades.
“Healthy” meant they exercised regularly, abstained from smoking, kept their weight low, and preferred fish over processed meat.
Men who achieved these goals had a 1.6% lifetime risk of dying from prostate cancer. This compared to a 5.3% chance among their unhealthy counterparts, the researchers found.
However, healthy habits did not appear to protect men from developing prostate cancer in the first place, noted lead researcher Dr. Adam Kibel.
They may, in turn, reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer, according to Kibel, chief of urology at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Prostate cancer is very common: about one in eight men will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). But cancer is often slow-growing and may never progress to the point of threatening a man’s life – only one in 41 men actually dies from prostate cancer.
Thus, while men may not be able to exercise their risk of developing the disease, lifestyle may matter in the aggressiveness of the cancer.
“One way to look at it is that an unhealthy lifestyle could throw fuel into the fire,” Kibel said.
The study, recently published online in the journal European Urology, involved more than 12,000 men from two long-term research projects. They were all health professionals who, from the 1980s onwards, completed periodic questionnaires about their health habits and lifestyle. They also gave blood samples, so that their genetic data could be analyzed.
Prostate cancer has a large genetic component and more than 200 genetic variants have been linked to the risk of developing the disease. Kibel and colleagues used this information to assign each participant a “polygenic risk score” for their chances of developing prostate cancer.
Each man also received a healthy lifestyle score, earning one point for each of the six factors: keeping his weight below the obesity cut; exercise vigorously regularly, such as running; no smoking; and regularly eat fatty fish (such as salmon); eat tomato products; and limiting processed meats. In particular, studies have linked these three dietary habits to a lower risk of prostate cancer or disease death.
Over the course of 27 years, just over 3,000 men developed prostate cancer and 435 died from it. The researchers found that genes made a big difference: men with genetic risk scores at 25% higher were four times more likely to die from the disease, compared with those at 25% lower.
But for these same men, the lifestyle also had a big impact. Those who were left with at least four of the six healthy lifestyle factors reduced their chances of dying from prostate cancer by 45%, compared to men who adhered to few or none.
Of all the lifestyle habits, Kibel said, exercise seemed the most important, followed by maintaining a healthy weight.
The findings do not show that these healthy habits, by themselves, have saved the lives of some men. But Dr. William Dahut, scientific director of the ACS, called the results “encouraging.”
“What’s interesting is that this suggests that a healthy lifestyle may not decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer, but it may decrease the risk of lethal prostate cancer, which is much more important,” said Dahut, who participated in the study.
In the real world, men would not know their polygenic risk score, but both doctors said that could change in the coming years.
For now, men may have an idea of their genetic risk based on family history, though that’s not the whole story, Dahut said. According to the ACS, having a parent or sibling with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk of developing the disease.
From the latest findings, Kibel said he suspects a healthy lifestyle would help reduce the excess risk related to family history.
There was no evidence that lifestyle changed the risk of lethal prostate cancer among men with a lower genetic risk. That, Kibel said, may be that few of these men died from the disease, making it difficult for any lifestyle measures to show an impact.
However, there are many reasons beyond prostate cancer for men to adopt healthy habits, both doctors said.
“People are generally happier when they’re in good physical shape,” Kibel noted.
He also encouraged men to learn about their family medical history. While women usually have a good idea of this, Kibel said, she has found that male patients usually don’t know if any family members have had prostate cancer.
The American Cancer Society has more information on prostate cancer.
What are pros and cons of genetic testing?
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- Advantages of genetic testing
- Treatment of the disease. …
- Lifestyle changes for disease prevention. …
- Release of stress due to lack of genetic variants. …
- A negative test could mask additional causes. …
- A positive test could increase stress unnecessarily. …
- Genetic purgatory. …
- Cost. …
Privacy concerns.
What are the pros and cons of genetic engineering?
| What are the benefits of genetic testing? A positive outcome can lead a person to the prevention, follow-up, and treatment options available. Some test results can also help people make decisions about having children. Newborn screening can identify genetic disorders early in life, so treatment can be started as soon as possible. | Pros of genetic engineering |
|---|---|
| Genetic Engineering Cons | It can be used to increase crop yields |
| Ethical concerns | Genetic engineering can reduce world hunger |
| Religious concerns | It can increase the variety of foods |
What are two pros of genetic testing?
The safety of genetic engineering has not yet been demonstrated On the same subject : ‘Nightbirde’ Family To Release New Music From Late Singer.
Can Stress give you cancer?
Yet, he says, there is power in knowledge: it allows recipients to be proactive about their own health and help determine if other family members are at risk. This may interest you : Sophisticated Settings — Lifestyle — July 01, 2022. And as awareness of genetic mutations grows, testing mechanisms have become faster, cheaper, and more accurate.
No, being stressed does not directly increase the risk of cancer. The best quality studies have been followed by many people for several years. They have found no evidence that those who are more stressed are more likely to get cancer.
Can cancer be caused by anxiety?
What cancer can you get from stress? Research now suggests that chronic stress can cause cancer to spread more quickly. Stress can accelerate the spread of cancer throughout the body, especially in ovarian, breast and colorectal cancer. When the body is stressed, neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine are released, which stimulate cancer cells.
Can emotional stress cause cancer?
No, being stressed does not directly increase the risk of cancer. The best quality studies have been followed by many people for several years. They have found no evidence that those who are more stressed are more likely to get cancer. Some people wonder if stress causes breast cancer.
Who gets prostate cancer the most?
Can psychological stress cause cancer? Although stress can cause a number of physical health problems, the evidence that it can cause cancer is weak. Some studies have indicated a relationship between various psychological factors and an increased risk of developing cancer, but others have not.
Prostate Cancer Risk Prostate cancer is more likely to develop in older men and non-Hispanic black men. About 6 out of 10 cases are diagnosed in men 65 years of age or older, and it is uncommon in men under 40 years of age. The average age of men at the time of diagnosis is about 66 years.
Is prostate cancer inherited from mother or father?
Which man is most at risk of developing prostate cancer? As men age, their risk of prostate cancer increases considerably. About 60% of prostate cancer is diagnosed in men over 65 years of age. That’s why talking to your doctor about PSA screening for prostate cancer as you enter middle age is so important. Disease genes can work in families.
What is the most likely cause of prostate cancer?
Your family risk of prostate cancer is higher if you have a first-degree relative (father or sibling) who had the disease, especially if they were diagnosed at a relatively young age. Having multiple first-degree relatives with prostate cancer also increases the risk.
