Prostate cancer can be a killer
A team from Boston's Children Hospital found that cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may inhibit prostate cancer growth.
The findings may help explain why prostate cancer is more common in the West, where diets tend to be high in cholesterol.
Rates of prostate cancer in rural parts of China and Japan, where low fat diets are the norm, are up to 90% less than in the West. Yet when Eastern men migrate to the West their chances of being diagnosed with prostate cancer increase. This has led doctors to suspect that environmental factors – such as diet – may play a significant role in the development of the disease. (COMMENT: That's been known for over a century. BG)
Lead researcher Dr Michael Freeman said: "Our study opens up a new paradigm in thinking about how cancer might be controlled pharmacologically by manipulating cholesterol. . . . Our data support the notion that cholesterol-lowering drugs – which are widely used and fairly safe – might be effective in prevention of prostate cancer, or as an adjunctive therapy." (COMMENT: Note the expression 'fairly safe'. Shading the truth? BG)
Chris Hiley, of the UK Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "This research is clearly at an early stage, as it was accomplished in mouse cells, not men, but it's heartening to see a plausible connection made between processes inside cells and the Westernised high fat diet that seem to increase the risk of prostate cancer occurring.
"The results do open up thinking about new drug therapies. But there is also a low tech option any man could attempt today. Adopt a healthy low cholesterol diet and active lifestyle. Cut down on saturated fats, reduce the total amount of fat eaten but eat oily fish, and eat a high fibre diet – with porridge oats, and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables." |
