How to avoid prostate cancer, by a prostate surgeon

It’s the second most common type of cancer and kills thousands of men every year.

About one in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. That’s more than 52,000 men diagnosed every year in the UK and 299,000 in the US.

Needing to pee more frequently, blood in your urine or seamen and hesitancy when going to the toilet are all telltale signs of the disease. 

But men could slash their risk of the cancer by exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, according to Declan Cahill, Consultant Urological Surgeon at London Bridge Hospital part of HCA Healthcare UK.

Here, Dr Cahill reveals the changes he has made to decrease his risk of developing prostate cancer. 

Keep your pecker up with daily exercise 

Never skipping a gym session and going running or cycling, are some of the lifestyle changes Dr Cahill says could drastically cut your risk of developing prostate cancer. 

‘Engaging in daily exercise is paramount for maintaining prostate health. Both cardiovascular exercises and resistance training are equally important,’ Dr Cahill told MailOnline. 

‘Cardio activities such as running, cycling, or swimming help improve heart health and stamina, while resistance training aids in preserving muscle mass,’ he added.

As you age you lose muscle, which can increase your risk of various health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, frailty and even dementia.

That’s why Dr Cahill stresses the importance of strength training to maintain overall muscle mass. 

He said: ‘Maintaining muscle supports the skeleton, burns calories, improves quality of life and potentially makes cancer less likely and has been shown to suppress cancer cells.’

Being active and a healthy weight can give your immune system a boost. It helps it to work at its best, which means it can be better at spotting and dealing with cells which could go on to become cancer, according to Cancer Research UK. 

That charity also highlights that being active reduced inflammation which can cause our cells to divide more often, increasing cancer risk.  

In fact, research shows men could slash chances of developing prostate cancer by over a third just by doing more cardio like jogging, swimming or cycling. 

Researchers from the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences analysed data on the physical activity levels, height and body mass index (BMI) of 57,652 men, alongside information on lifestyle and perceived health and the results of at least two cardiorespiratory fitness tests. 

Participants were then divided into groups – of low, moderate and high respiratory fitness – to see how changes affected both their chances of getting and dying from the disease.

During an average follow-up period of seven years, researchers found 592 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 46 died from the disease.

But those who boosted their annual cardiorespiratory fitness by at least 3 per cent had a 35 per cent lower risk of developing prostate cancer, according to the findings in BMJ.

Key diet tweaks that could head off prostate cancer… 

Avoiding munching on too much fatty foods and meat could help cut your risk of prostate cancer.

Dr Cahill stresses that maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet is ‘vital’ for prostate health. 

‘For prostate health, it’s important to consume lower-fat foods,’ Dr Cahill said. 

‘When consuming fats, aim to consume a higher volume of unsaturated fats where possible, such as olive oil, nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans), and avocados. 

‘Limit daily consumption of saturated fats which are in many processed foods and fast foods.’

‘A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can provide the necessary nutrients while helping to manage body weight and reduce the risk of developing health issues, including prostate cancer.’

Saturated fat is found in butter, fatty meats and cheese and eating too much of it can raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart and circulatory disease. 

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But research has also suggested that men who eat more fatty food like burgers and pizzas, which are high in saturated fat, are more at risk of prostate cancer than those who have a vegan diet.

That’s according to researchers at McGill University, who found that a gene involved in progressing prostate cancer (known as MYC) is fueled by fatty foods and red meat.

The 2019 study, published in Nature Communications, involved genetic data from 319 patients with prostate cancer.

They found that, regardless of their age or obesity status, those with high consumption of fats had higher levels of MYC, and had a more aggressive form of cancer by many measures.

Pooling the data, they found patients were four times more likely to die of prostate cancer if they had high levels of MYC fueled by fat consumption.

They tested their theory in a mouse model and saw the same effect, and found that a dietary intervention – cutting out meats and saturated fat – slowed and even stopped the disease in its tracks.

…and staying trim can stave off other types too 

Maintaining a healthy weight cuts your risk of several types of cancer, including prostate. 

Dr Cahill said: ‘There is strong evidence that being overweight or obese increases the risk of being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. 

‘Calorie management plays a significant role in weight control. If you are overweight, it’s essential to adopt a calorie-conscious diet to lose weight.’

Piling on the pounds has been linked to at least 13 types of cancer and is the second biggest cause of the disease in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK. 

The charity explains that after smoking being obese or overweight is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer. 

It increases you risk of metastatic or advanced prostate cancer. Metastatic prostate cancer is a cancer that began in the prostate and has spread to another part of the body.

‘Obesity is related to certain cancers, delays diagnosis, makes diagnosis and treatment more difficult and makes recovery from treatment and cancer more problematic,’ Dr Cahill added. 

This is because being too fat causes the level of growth hormones in the body to rise, which then causes cells to divide more often. 

Each of these additional divisions represents another potential chance for cancer cells to appear, increasing the risk of getting the disease. 

Another factor increasing risk is that immune cells are attracted to areas of the body where there are lots of fat cells. 

This can then cause an inflammation spike in these areas which causes cells to divide quicker, again increasing the risk of cancer forming.

Sorry, lads, you might need to cut down on booze 

Cutting down on booze is another way to cut your risk of several types of cancer.

No matter your choice of poison, drinking any form of beer, wine or spirit increases your risk of mouth, upper throat, larynx, oesophagus, breast, liver and bowel cancer.

But it’s not known if alcohol actually increases the risk of prostate cancer specifically, Prostate Cancer UK says.

‘Alcohol consumption should be kept within the national guidelines to minimise health risks,’ Dr Cahill warns. 

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‘In the UK, the guidelines recommend that you should not regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week. This equates to about six pints of average-strength beer or six 175ml glasses of average-strength wine.’

Experts urge people to stick within these guidelines as drinking alcohol can increase your risk of seven types of cancer. 

Alcohol, when absorbed into the body, damages cells and stops them from repairing damage overall, Cancer Research UK says. 

It can also affect the chemical signals which can make cells more likely to divide and, as a result, increases the initial chances of cancer appearing. 

In fact, statistical analysis published in BMC Public Health in 2019, suggests drinking a bottle of wine a week is the equivalent of a smoking up to 10 cigarettes in the same period in terms of cancer risk. 

However, it’s not just drinking too many units that increases your cancer risk, alcohol is also high in calories and too much could lead to weight gain, another factor that increases cancer risk.  

Dr Cahill said: ‘It’s also worth noting that alcohol is high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain. 

‘For example, a pint of beer can contain up to 230 calories, and a standard glass of wine around 180 calories.’

Include ‘prostate-friendly’ foods in your diet

There are some foods thought to be particularly good for prostate health, Dr Cahill says.

These ‘prostate-friendly’ foods include leafy greens, antioxidant rich berries and fish, all of which are nutrient dense and good editions to a health balanced diet. 

‘Certain foods have been shown to benefit prostate health due to their lycopene, selenium, and vitamin E content,’ Dr Cahill said. 

‘Incorporate cooked tomatoes, poppy seeds, cauliflower, broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts into your diet.

‘Berries such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries are rich in antioxidants which are also good for overall health. 

‘Additionally, fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, trout, and mackerel provide beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.’

But he stresses that more research is needed on which foods are best for prostate health. 

He said: ‘However, it’s important to note that the evidence that these foods help is somewhat limited and not conclusive, so it’s best to focus on consuming a healthy, nutrient rich, varied and balanced diet overall.’

Dr Cahill added: ‘By focusing on leading a healthy lifestyle and incorporating the tips above, you can take steps to maintain your prostate health and reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

‘Regular check-ups and consultations with your healthcare provider are also important to monitor and manage your prostate health effectively. 

‘It’s about making the whole of us healthy, the body works together. The whole body needs to be healthy to look after it’s individual parts.’